क्षेत्रीय अनुसंधान केंद्र, रहरा

रहरा केंद्र का संक्षिप्त इतिहास और उत्पत्ति

Considering the potentialities of increasing fish production and productivity of this region. Scientific investigation on the use of sewage in aquaculture was initiated in two rented ponds at Rahara in 1975 for collecting necessary basic information.  The activities were soon expanded and a 10.5 ha marshy land was developed into “Wastewater-fish farm” in the early eighties under the banner of the erstwhile CIFRI, Barrackpore, and named as Wastewater Aquaculture Division of CIFA in 1987 when CIFA, Bhubaneswar became an independent Institute and since then diversified research on low-cost aquaculture technology in wastewater ecosystem have been developed and are being upgraded for eliminating cost intensive inputs like feed, manure and fertilizer etc.

Of late it was renamed as Regional Research Centre (RRC), Rahara and its Field Station, Kalyani of ICAR-CIFA, which  has been functioning with the mandate to conduct research to cater the region specific needs to conduct research on the utilization of waste-water in aquaculture, to undertake studies on diversification of aquaculture practices and to disseminate aquaculture technologies through demonstration, capacity building of officials from various organizations and imparting need based training to fish farmers of West Bengal, NEH and other eastern states. At present the centre is known as Regional Research Station, Rahara of ICAR-CIFA.

Regional Research Station  is situated at Rahara, Kolkata, North 24-parganas Dist., West Bengal, Kolkata - 700 118. The Centre is well connected with Road, Rail and Air. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dumdum is only 14 km away. Sealdah and Khardah Railway stations are 18 and 2 km away from the Research Station, respectively. Frequent auto rickshaw services are available through-out the day from Khardah railway station.

Address:-
Rahara Regional Station,
P. O. Rahara,
Kolkata- 700118, West Bengal
E-mail: rahara_cifa@rediffmail.com
Telefax: 033 – 25683023

Field Station, Kalyani

The Station had its beginning as Frog Culture Division of the erstwhile ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore in 1975. Later, the Frog Culture Unit was renamed as Regional Research Centre  of Wastewater Aquaculture Division, Rahara in the year 1998. Later on it was further renamed as  Field Station, Kalyani which  is situated at Nadia District, West Bengal with campus having 7.0 ha land area. The station is equipped with 15 ponds of different sizes having 1.2 ha water spread area for rearing and production of fish, having one pabda hatchery, experimental shed  one poultry house, one duck shed, etc.

Address:-
A/5 (Phase III), Santal Para,
P.O. Kalyani, Nadia - 741235, West Bengal
E–mail: cifakalyani96@gmail.com,
Telephone: 033 – 25824015

Staff strength (RRC Rahara & Field Station Kalyani)

Staff at Rahara

Dr. Baidyanath Paul

Principal Scientist

& Scientist-in-charge

Baidyanath[dot]Paul[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Dr. Subhendu Adhikari

Principal Scientist

Subhendu[dot]Adhikari[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Dr. Rathindra Nath Mandal

Principal Scientist

Rathindra[dot]Mandal[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Arabinda Das

Scientist

Arabinda[dot]Das[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Dr. Farhana Hoque

Scientist

Farhana[dot]Hoque[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Sri Swamiji Sen

Assisstant

Sri Sukendu Biswas

Assistant

Mrs. Kiran Oraon

Skilled Supporting Staff

Mungli Sardar

Skilled Supporting Staff

Staff at Kalyani

Dr. Subhas Sarkar

Senior Scientist

Subhas[dot]Sarkar[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Ajmal Hussan

Scientist

Ajmal[dot]Hussan[at]icar[dot]gov[dot]in

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Mrs. Manju Singh

Skilled Supporting Staff

Mandate

• Basic and strategic research for the development of sustainable culture systems for freshwater fish species
• Species and system diversification in freshwater and wastewater aquaculture.
• Human Resource Development through training, education and extension

Focal research area

1. Utilization of wastewater & wastes of agro-industrial origin in freshwater aquaculture including integrated fish farming systems.
2. Captive breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of important cultivable freshwater fin fishes.
3. Development of new culture systems for freshwater aquaculture.
4. Soil, water quality and fish health management for higher production.
5. Application of Farm made feed for sustainable Aquaculture Production
6. Livelihood development in West Bengal and NEH states through freshwater aquaculture.

List of On-going Projects

Institute

Externally Funded

List of Completed Projects

Institute

Externally Funded

Future thrust area

• Efficient use of wastewater for sustainable aquaculture
• Diversification of candidate species and system in  aquaculture
• Livelihood programme for poverty alleviation in West Bengal and NEH region through aquaculture technologies
• Capacity building through scientific aquaculture

Technologies/ Product developed

1. Waste water aquaculture practices having 3-4 tonne/hactre/year production level have been developed.
2. Distillery waste water having BOD level of 15-20 ppm can be used for aquaculture practices
3. Split doses of waste water aquaculture practices provides maximum production
4. Breeding, seed rearing and culture techniques of butter catfish Ompok bimaculatus and long whiskers catfish Mystus gulio
5. Breeding & seed rearing protocol of hilsa shad Tenualosa ilisha.
6. Development of portable FRP pabda hatchery having capacity to produce about 10,000 – 15,000 nos. of early fry in a single cycle
7. Integrated of farming system models involving various high value and conventional horticultural crops, poultry and ducks

Training programmes conducted during 2019-2020

Salient achievements

• The impact of sewage water for the safe fish production has been done successfully and the production levels varied from 3.0 to 5.0 t/ha/yr.
• Use of different feed additives (Plant attractants ) was developed to enhance feed intake of fish and Iron requirement of rohu was worked out.
• Different agro-industrial wastes viz., Dried Distilleries Grain Soluble (DDS), Breweries wastes, ghee residue, jute leaf powder etc were used as  New Aquaculture feed ingredients
• The nutrient content of sixteen freshwater fish species was done under Nutrient Profiling of Fishes and the species covered are Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo bata, Labeo calbasu, Labeo fimbriatus, Cirrhinus reba, Barbonymus gonionotus, Anabas testudineus, Clarias batrachus, Heteropneustes fossilis, Mystus vittatus, Channa striata, Ompok bimaculatus, Wallago attu  and Pangasianodon Hypophthalmus.
• Feeding protocol of Ompok bimaculatus larvae was developed and the larval feed requires 40% protein and 8 % lipid.
• Fish can be cultured in waste water having BOD level of 15-20 ppm. Split doses of waste water application provides maximum production.
• Breeding performance of Indian Major Carps in relation to temperature in different states of India have been studied
• Developed grow-out culture method of Ompok bimaculatus at reduced water depth to conserve water
• Protocol on growth and survivability of Indian Major Carps under different temperature and salinity levels
• Carbon foot print and carbon sequestration of aquaculture ponds have been extensively studied
• First instance of lordosis in Pterygoplichthys, dropsy and scoliosis in Ompok bimaculatus and Dactylogyrosis in Mystusgulio were reported.

Achievements (Kalyani FS)

• Integrated farming system models involving various high value and conventional horticultural crops, poultry and ducks with fish.
• Breeding, seed rearing and culture techniques of butter catfish Ompok bimaculatus
• Breeding & seed rearing protocol of hilsa shad Tenualosa ilisha.
• Breeding and seed production techniques of long whiskers catfish Mystus gulio
• Development of portable FRP pabda hatchery having capacity to produce about 10,000 – 15,000 nos. of early fry in a single cycle.

Facilities

Infrastructure facilities at Rahara:

• The  Rahara farm (10.5 ha) has effective water area of about 6 hectare comprising 8 nursery ponds, 9 rearing ponds, 13 stocking ponds, 2 spawner tanks and 3 paddy-cum-fish culture plots besides 7 circular cement cisterns of 0.018 ha each.
• Of the 4.5 ha of available land, about 1.0 ha is being utilized for Horticulture throughout the year eliminating the recurring labour expenditure on cleaning the weed infested dykes and at the same time generating revenue
• A well-equipped laboratory with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Gas Chromatograph (GC), Spectrophotometer, Lyophilizer, Socs Plus for fat extraction, Kel plus for crude protein estimation, Precision balance, Muffle furnace, Hot water bath etc. to conduct research and teaching in different area of Aquaculture.
• Laboratory for soil and water analysis.
• Treated and untreated domestic sewage from Titagarh municipality is being taken to the farm through a 1 km long underground pipeline leading to a deep sump from where it is drawn in the  ponds  and paddy plots using an electrical pump. 
• One deep tube well is available to supply freshwater whenever required.
• An eco-hatchery complex and plastic hatchery is available to facilitate fish breeding.
• An experimental yard with flow-through system to conduct nutritional and other experimental studies.
• Space on integrated farming including paddy-cum-fish culture has focused attention on diversification and better utilization of fallow land.
• One conference cum training  hall with video conferencing facility for conducting meeting and training programme with a capacity of 50 persons

Infrastructure (Field Station Kalyani)

• The Kalyani Field Station (7.0 ha) has effective water area of about 1.2 hectare comprising 4 nursery ponds, 3 rearing ponds and 9 grow out ponds   
• Laboratory for soil and water quality analysis
• Basic laboratory for molecular work: laminar flowhood chamber, autoclave, bacteriological incubator, thermocycler, gel electrophoresis unit, gel documentation unit, -20◦C deep freeze, refrigerator, spectrophotometer, cooling centrifuge and power backup
• Hatcheries for catfish
• Experimental sheds
• Poultry house and Duck shed
• Training hall

Publications

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