State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Mr Subrata Mukherjee has inaugurated a project of alternative livelihood for the people of most backward villages of Sagar Island.

Mr Mukherjee said a large number of people used to depend on hunting turtles, not only endangering those species but also risked their owned lives in doing so. People died of attacks by crocodiles and small sharks, he said.

Local people will be engaged in prawn and other fishes’ egg breeding units in several villages as alternative livelihood, he said.

Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) has taken up initiative for providing all arrangements to set up the infrastructure for prawn and other fishes’ egg breeding units. Villagers from Mahendraganj, Nagendraganj, Khasramkar, Uttarharadhanpur, Kayalpara, Dhaspara, Krishnanagar and Chalkfuldubi, will join this project.

Swami Biswatmananda, general secretary of the BSS said that a 5000 square feet place has been identified for setting up a skill development centre for local people.

He said around 2700 people will be trained in fish breeding, in agriculture farming, making organic manure and handicrafts items.

Mr Mukherjee said that the state government will provide all kind of help to BSS if these projects are implemented in other villages.