Fish Fest adorns Emoinu Eratpa

OSR/DIPR
Imphal, Jan 3 : Fisheries Minister Heikham Dingo Singh inaugurated the first Emoinu Fish Festival, 2023 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Palace Compound, today
The festival was organized by the Department of Fisheries in connection with the Emoinu Iratpa celebration.
Meanwhile, League of Callow Patriots celebrated the Emoinu Festival in the presence of Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Thokchom Satryabrata Singh and Wangkhei  Constituency MLA Thangjam Arunkumar at Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal.
Ritual programmes were held at Ningthem Pukhri  Mapal while colourful lights were put up in the surrounding areas as parts of the festival.
Emoinu Iratpa is celebrated on the 12th day of Wakching month of Manipuri lunar calendar with traditional gaiety and religious fervour. On this day, seasonal fruits, vegetables and fishes are offered to evoke the blessings of Emoinu, Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
At Hapta Kangjeibung, H Dingo Singh said that organizing the first Emoinu Fish Festival under the guidance of Chief Minister N Biren Singh is a great achievement of the Fisheries Department.
He said that different varieties of fishes, seasonal vegetables and fruits were  sold for offerings to Goddess Emoinu. Saying that fishes worth around Rs 3.5 crore were sold in a single day in the recent annual fish fair held as part of Ningol Chakkouba festival and adding it was a big achievement for the department, the Minister continued that the department was targeting to produce 50,000 kg of fishes including 2,000 kg of Meitei Sareng during  the Emoinu Fish Festival.
H Dingo went on to state that the department has taken up certain measures to increase the fish production of the State.
Continuing that the department has been providing loans under Central and State  sponsored schemes to fish farmers and entrepreneurs as a token of encouragement, H Dingo maintained that cash culture and aquaculture schemes  would also be introduced in the State as soon as possible.
He also appealed to all concerned to not catch fishes during breeding season and refrain from practising destructive fishing methods.
Director Fisheries Department H Balkrisna Singh, in his keynote address, said that the department has been organizing fish fair since 1979 to increase fish yield and supply them to the people at affordable prices.
He continued that 90 stalls were opened at the site of the festival.
The rate of fish sold at the festival was fixed by the department. The department also bore the transportation charges of fishes brought for sale by the farmers. The festival was open to the public from 9 am till 5 pm, he added.
MLA Kongkham Robindro Singh and officials of different departments also attended the festival.