Mirik to create ripples with `fish house'

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, 25 Apr 2019, Siliguri: Come May and tourists visiting north Bengal will have a new reason to head to Mirik.
The state fisheries department, in association with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), is coming up with a building that would have aquariums with over 40 varieties of fish.

Sources at the department said the building is ready and work of installing the aquarium ­ glass chambers containing water, is in progress. They have plans to finish the work and open it for public visit by May.

"It would be the first of its kind centre in the hills and is coming up near the Sumendu Lake in Mirik. The building has been built on a seven-cottah plot. For the project, we are spending around Rs 72 lakhs," an official said.

In total, there will be 36 separate glass chambers, which will have different Piscean species ranging from Gold Fish, Star Fish to Mahseer, common carp.

"We will also try to keep popular species of local fish like `Boroli' which is only available in this part the state, especially in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts. We are not sure whether it would sur- vive the cold weather of the hills but will surely give a try," he added.

In Mirik, after Trinamul has bagged the civic board, it has allotted funds for infrastructural development of the town and also for projects which can boost tourism. The building with aquariums is one of these projects.

L.B. Rai, the civic chairman, spoke of some other projects which have been taken up in Mirik.

Among these include beautification work of the banks and adjoining areas of Sumendu Lake for which a sum of Rs 6 scores would be spent.

"Work is in progress on the side of the lake. We have also carried out construction of roads throughout the town and right now, we are installing lights in the streets. The aquariums, along with the lake, will surely draw more visitors here," said Rai..