Matsyalaya inaugurated at Pilikula; to conserve endangered fish species

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)

September 14, 2015

Mangaluru, Sep 14: The state government’s Rs 1-crore project, on breeding and conservation of endangered freshwater fish species of the Western Ghats, was thrown open to visitors at Dr. Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhma on Sunday.

The park will now conserve the endangered wild species of fish in the Western Ghats, whereby around 40 endangered species will be bred and conserved. The centre is the first of its kind, being focused on the conservation of endangered wild fish species.

Inaugurating the Matsyalaya at Pilikula on Sunday, District-Incharge Minister B Ramanath Rai said, “In the days to come, programmes will be chalked out towards the development of Pilikula, under the State Wildlife Board headed by the chief minister. The centre is set up at a cost of Rs one crore grant released by the Department of Fisheries.”

Matsalaya Consultant Dr Ronald D’Souza said, around 70 to 80 fish species in the Western Ghats are endangered The breeding of 20 such fish will be done at the centre.

Some of the local fish such as Channa (morante), Clarius batractus are facing extinction following the destruction of their habitat due to sand mining and attack by other fish such as African fish.

“The collection of fish is done during summer and the species are being collected from?Agumbe and Shivamogga region. Hence great care should be taken with regard to maintaining the temperature and other environmental factors, for the fish to survive and breed. Ice and pure oxygen will be provided for particular species,” Ronald added.

“The male fish will be injected with harmones and will be let into the breeding box along with the female fish, to breed. Then, the eggs will be kept in separate containers called hatchers and will be taken care of. The eggs will hatch in two days. It takes two months for the young fish to grow. Later, the grown fish are released to their original habitats in Western Ghats, he explained.

Karnataka Carp (Gende meenu), notified as the state fish, Golden chromite, Garra bicornata, Dawkinsia Arulius, Dawkinsia Assimilis, Hypselobarbus Thomassi and Garra Mullya will be a few species to be conserved at the centre.

Meanwhile, Minister Ramanath Rai handed over a cheque of Rs two crore to the Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim, towards the first phase of work on Urban Eco Park in Pilikula and said for the first time, the Pollution Control Board has released Rs five crore towards a project.

Enviornment department officer Puranik said, 10 acres of land in Pilikula has been earmarked for the construction of Urban Eco Park. Separate units for educating general public on solid waste management, waste water treatment plants, solar power, etc will be set up.

A 12 member expert committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Subodh Kant Sahay. The detailed project report will be ready within a month, he stated. Five new swan shaped boats, were also inaugurated at the lake on the occasion.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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