Tamil Nadu - Ramanathapuram   

Solar fish drier launched

COMES IN HANDY:A worker using a solar fish drier at Rameswaram.

RAMANATHAPURAM: The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT) has introduced a solar fish drier for the first time in the district.

It has been installed at Olaikuda in Rameswaram at a cost of around Rs.4 lakh. The operation and maintenance of the drier will be with the Eco Development Committee promoted by the trust.

Aruna Basu Sarcar, Chief Conservator of Forests, and Director, GOMBRT, told The Hindu that it was a major step to transform the fish drying practices by the fishermen.

In the traditional drying, fishes, which contain dust, bacterial moulds and other impurities, were dried under the sun.

It would also emit foul smell during cooking. But in the solar drying technology, the fishes would be carefully washed and kept in driers. The drier would enable the fishermen to dry fishes hygienically.

The solar drier would give maximum results in the day time. It would also pack the dried fishes in the packets. The EDC had been asked to repay actual cost of the drier gradually.

She said that 75 to 100 kg of fish could be dried per day. It could be dried using electricity during rainy days. Fishermen could visit the drier.

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