Palla fish population on the wane

Minister for Fisheries Abdul Bari Pitafi has said that the breeding of Sindh's famous 'palla' fish was declining due to a lack of water in the Indus River.

Palla fish swims into fresh water from the sea, but this time around the water is not available. It has resulted in a drastic drop in the population of this fish," Pitafi told members of provincial assembly (MPAs) during the session which which started after a delay of one and a half hour on Tuesday.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani chaired the session in which Pitafi responded to written and supplementary questions of MPAs during the question-and-answer session. "The Indus River fish is unique in taste among all freshwater fish," he added. "Although palla also comes from Iran, but it lacks flavour."

While replying to a question, the minister said that his ministry did not provide land to fish farmers. Some time ago, there was a project under which the farmers would provide the land and the ministry would help them set up fish farms.

He added that another World Bank-funded scheme was in the offing under which the ministry would build fish farms. "There are a total of 1,250 fish farms in Sindh. The ministry trains the farmers," he added.

Provincial Minister Jam Khan Shoro said that the water situation would improve if 10mmf of water was released downstream every year. "If freshwater continues to flow, then the population of palla fish will also grow," he added. "Freshwater is not only required for fish but also for mangrove forests."

Shoro said that the Sindh government had been trying to have the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord implemented in letter and spirit. "As per a 2005 study, we need 25mmf of water," he said.

The Sindh government had even moved the court for the implementation of the agreement in March 2018, he recalled, adding that the then attorney general had said that it should be implemented, but then a new attorney general formed a committee for this purpose which concluded: "It is a mutual issue, solve it yourself."

Shoro said that they the case had been taken to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for the first time.

Prized livestock

While responding to a question, Minister Pitafi said that the cattle heads kept by the Livestock department were not meant for milk or meat. "The Red Sindhi cow is a symbol of our culture. It is important to preserve its breed. Kamori is a beautiful goat breed of Sindh," he said. "It is equally good for milk and meat."

The minister further said that they were also working on ostrich farming in Sindh.

PTI MPA Shahzad Qureshi tabled a resolution, demanding the house legislate to curb unnecessary expenditures on marriage and dowry. "If the treasury already has a bill on this, then why it is not being presented in the house," he added.

Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mukesh Kumar Chawla told the house that a treasury bill on this matter was already in the house. The relevant standing committee members should give their suggestions, he said. "The government is working on it. Therefore, the resolution is of no use."

Later, the session was adjourned till 10am Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2023.