MIRPUR ( AJK) : Nov 30 (APP), (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point news – 30th Nov, 2024) Mirpur divisional authorities here Saturday categorically decided to open Mangla fish sales points in various parts of all three districts of Mirpur division for disposal of the commodity smoothly meeting local need of the commodity on subsidised rates.
Thus was decided in a high level meeting chaired by Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhry Mukhtar Hussain here. The meeting while determining the priorities of Mangala Dam’s fish to meet local needs, decided to establish sales points in different locations of Mirpur city besides in other parts of the district including Chakswari, Dadyal as well as in Bhambhir and Kotli districts preventing illegal smuggling of Mangala Dam’s fish to outside the Nirpur division.
Deputy Commissioner Yasir Riaz, Assistant Commissioner Raja Zahid Hussain, Information Officer Muhammad Javed Malik, Assistant Director Fisheries presided over the meeting. Mohammad Sajid, Assistant Director of Fisheries Mohammad Tariq, Mangala Dam Fish Contractor Z. Chaudhry Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, Ishtiaq Hussain (Asghar Fish) attended.
Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Chaudhry Mukhtar Hussain gave instructions to the administration, state fisheries department and contractor that the fish caught from Mangala Dam reservoir should be sold to the local population first on subsidised rates till the needs of the local population were met. “Thereafter rest of the the fish should be taken outside to Azad Jammu Kashmir”, he strictly advised.
“For the local sale of fish, sales points should be made available at two places in Mirpur city, Chakswari and Dadyal, so that people could get the original fish of Mangla Dam from these sales points”, the Div Commissioner ordered.
Ch. Mukhtar Hussain said that Fish Depots will be set up in the next few days to supply of the exported Mangla dam”s fish to Bhimbar and Kotli district in the division as well.
The Div. Commissioner further advised that no undue pressure should be put on the Mangla Dam fish contractor by the district administration or the Fisheries Department, nor should any contractor be blackmailed to smuggle Mangla Dam fish.
The administration and the government departments do not want to interfere in the fish business, but the needs of the local population must be met as the first priority in the sale of fish from Mangala Dam. The sales points should be set up at prominent localities, he advised.
He also advised for determining the rates of fish from farms and Mangala Dam separately. “Prevention of fraudulent sale of fish procured from farms. in the name of Mangala Dam should also be ensured toll the full satisfaction of the customer, the Commissioner ordered.
The Commissioner resolved that since the fraudulent business was also frowned upon in islam and for this reason the government and administration will not allow anyone to earn double profits by putting aside the interests of the people for their vestrd interests of the fish sellers.
In the meeting, Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Yasir Riaz presented various suggestions regarding the method of selling fish to the local population of Mangla Dam and gave a briefing to prevent the smuggling of fish
through illegal means, to outside this district holding the country’s 2nd largest Mangla Dam in its lap.
In his briefing to the house, the fish contractor said that five different fishing pockets have been created in Mangala Dam from which fish were exported on a daily basis on separate days. He said that fluctuation in the fish production in the dam some tome cause shortahe However, the fish is taken to the fish markets of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Sialkot and other cities only after the requirement of fish in the local market was fulfilled
“Stocking fish incurs additional expenditures and costs including use of ice and transportation for its preservation”, he said.
The contractor Zafar Iqbal assured the meeting that the instructions given by the administration to supply the local fish population on subsidised rates will be implemented in letter and spirit.
Ends/ APP/ ahr
