Agartala: The Tripura government has constructed 443 out of a targeted 645 earthen check dams in Dhalai and North Tripura districts as part of the Indo-German Development Cooperation (IGDC) initiative.
The project, which commenced in 2020 and is supported by the German development agency KfW, aims to enhance environmental conditions and bolster community resilience.
The check dams are designed to control water flow, reduce soil erosion, and support sustainable forest management.
According to S. Prabhu, the project director of the IGDC initiative in Tripura, these structures have multiple benefits. They enhance irrigation for local farms, provide a reliable source of water for domestic use, and help retain soil moisture to support rain-fed crops and livestock.
He said that out of the target of 645, a total of 443 check dams have been constructed so far. Among these, 427 structures were found suitable for fish farming across 126 villages in Dhalai and North Tripura districts.
To capitalize on this, the state government has provided training on fisheries and distributed fingerlings of various fish species, including rohu, catla, and grass carp, along with fish feed, lime for water quality management, and fishing nets.
The IGDC earthen check dam initiative is a key intervention under the ‘Climate Resilience of Forest Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Adaptive Capacities of Forest Dependent Communities’ in Tripura (CREFLAT) project.
ALSO READ: New criminal laws aimed at enhancing standard of criminal justice delivery system: Tripura CM
Tripura, which produced 83,000 metric tons of fish in 2023, but still faces a significant shortfall against a demand of 1.17 lakh metric tons. The state currently imports fish from outside the region and from Bangladesh to meet the demand. The externally-aided project has a total budget of Rs 280 crore and is scheduled to continue for a total of seven years.
