Agartala: The Tripura government has constructed 443 earthen check dams in Dhalai and North Tripura districts since 2022 under the Indo-German Development Cooperation (IGDC) initiative, officials said on Saturday.
The target for the project is 645 dams.
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The Rs 280-crore externally aided project, launched in 2020 for a seven-year period, aims to regulate water flow, reduce soil erosion, and promote sustainable forest management.
“These check dams support fisheries, enhance irrigation for nearby agricultural fields, and improve water availability for domestic use. They also help retain soil moisture, sustain rain-fed crops, enable multiple cropping, and support livestock,” said S. Prabhu, Project Director of the IGDC initiative.
Of the completed structures, 427 have been found suitable for fish farming across 126 villages in the two districts. Capacity-building programmes on fisheries have also been conducted, receiving positive feedback from local communities.
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Fingerlings of rohu, catla, grass carp, mrigal carp, and common carp, along with fish feed, lime for water quality management, and fishing nets, are being distributed with approval from German development bank KfW, which supports the project.
The IGDC check dam initiative is part of the Climate Resilience of Forest Ecosystems, Biodiversity, and Adaptive Capacities of Forest Dependent Communities in Tripura project. It covers 129 villages, focusing on improving environmental conditions and strengthening community resilience.
Tripura’s fish production stood at 83,000 metric tonnes in 2023, up from 82,000 MT in 2022.
However, the state still faces a shortfall of about 31,000 MT against a demand of 1.17 lakh MT, which is met through imports from other states and Bangladesh.