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River Chokes: Hundreds of Fish Dead Near Paradip
12 Apr
Summary
- Hundreds of dead fish discovered floating in Kapiljora river near Paradip.
- OSPCB officials cited high ammonia and lack of oxygen as potential causes.
- OSPCB regional officer blamed local sewage dumping for river contamination.
On Sunday morning, a distressing scene unfolded in the Kapiljora river near Paradip as hundreds of dead fish were discovered floating on the water's surface. This alarming find prompted an immediate response from officials of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), who were dispatched to the location.
OSPCB officials collected water and fish samples to investigate the cause of the mass fish kill. According to the OSPCB regional officer, Puskar Chandra Behera, preliminary findings suggest that high levels of ammonia, a heavy organic load, and a critically low oxygen level of only 2mg per litre (compared to the required 7mg per litre) contributed to the deaths.
However, Behera also pointed to human activity as a significant factor, attributing the river's contamination to the rampant illegal dumping of sewage and septic waste by local slum dwellers. He emphasized the need for stringent measures against such practices to prevent further environmental damage to the Kapiljora river.
