IMPHAL, October 24: Dr B Meenakumari, deputy director general (fisheries) ICAR, New Delhi today inaugurated the Solar Fish Dryer at the ICAR Research complex, Lamphelpat.
The function was also attended by Dr N Prakash jt director, ICAR Manipur, Dr TK Sirinivasgopal, director CIFT, Cochin and K Sharatkumar, director fisheries Manipur as the president and guests of honour.
Speaking at the function, Meenakumari elaborated on the new dryer and the need for such machines in states like Manipur which has a high consumption rate of fishes.
She further informed that the dryer is a product of the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin. She also expressed her profound gratitude at the gesture of the CIFT Cochin for providing the state with such a useful dryer.
Further speaking at the function she has appealed to all concern not to pollute the fish ponds in the state and the related fisheries department to help open units at various lplaces of the state and help in producing more fish in the state.
In his adrressed PN Joshi, head, engineering division of the Cochin CIFT informed the gathering that the machine comes in two varieties, one with the capacity to accommodate 250 kgs of fish at a time for drying and a smaller version with a capacity of only 50 kgs at a time.
The 250 kgs version has been stationed at the ICAR, Lamphelpat whereas the smaller version has been put at the Fisheries directorate complex, Lamphelpat, he added.
He further deliberated that the machines can be used in drying other food items including both vegetable and meat other then fish.
Even though the machine has been built to be used mainly on solar energy, the smaller version stationed at the fisheries directorate can be used with electric back-up, he added.
The inauguration programme was organized by the ICAR research complex for NEH Region, Manipur.
