Introduction
Indrasarovar Reservoir is located in the northern hilly area of Makwanpur District in Bagmati Province at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. It is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Nepal, which was built on the Kulekhani river for the purpose of hydro-electricity generation. There are 7 sources namely Palungkhola, Chitlangkhola, Setikhola, Chakhel Inlet, Chalkhukhola, Thadokhola and Dhaskukhola which are used to collect water in it. The reservoir is named Indra Sarovar in the memory of late Queen Indra Rajya Laxmi Shah. The reservoir has 216 hectares of water when it is full and 55 hectares of water in winter. It has an average length of 7 km and the width of up to 500 meters.
In addition to electricity generation, the multi-faceted use of water to provide alternative employment to concerned farmers, who were displaced during the project period and to increase the availability of animal protein, this office was established in 2041 B.S. by the government of His Highness the King, and with the joint investment of IDRC (International Development Research Center, Canada), it was operated as an experimental project to raise fish in cages. After the success of cage rearing of Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), the farmers were taught about the cage farming techniques from the year 2045 onwards. After the success of this project, Shree Indrasarovar Matsya Byabasahi Sangh was established in 2066 B.S., with a total of 685 share members. Since then, the fisheries and aquaculture activities are being carried out in this reservior by practicing cage culture and releasing fingerlings of various fish species.
From 2041 B.S. to 2049 B.S., this center operated under the name of Indrasarovar Fisheries Development Project. Then, from 2049 B.S. to 2060 B.S. the center operated as then Government of Shree 5th, Fisheries Development Center Indrasarovar, Kulekhani. The office which was operating as Reservoir Fisheries Development Center, Kulekhani since 2060 B.S. Since 2075 B.S. the centre has been operating under Bagmati Province Government, Minsitry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries Development ; as Fisheries Development Center, Kulekhani. According to the current federal structure, this center is located in Indrasarovar Rural Municipality Ward No. 1, Markhu, Makwanpur District, Bagmati Province.
