Panel to probe mass death of fish in Najafgarh Jheel

The order constituting the committee is dated July 4. A report is awaited on the matter, according to a senior official of the Wetland Authority.

According to a water quality report on the Najafgarh drain from June, uploaded on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s website, the chemical oxygen demand in the drain was 346 mg/litre, above the standard of 250 mg/litre.

After the mass death of fish was reported in Najafgarh, the Wetland Authority of Delhi has constituted an inquiry committee to probe the incident.

“It has been reported that there is mass mortality of fish in the Najafgarh Jheel,” the order issued by the Wetland Authority notes. The inquiry committee is expected to inspect the jheel and submit a report on the reasons behind the episode.

The committee comprises 11 members, including representatives of the Delhi Jal Board, Forest Department, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Central Pollution Control Board, and the fisheries unit of the Animal Husbandry Department. Two expert members – Manu Bhatnagar of INTACH and Ritesh Kumar of Wetlands International South Asia – are also part of the inquiry committee.

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The order constituting the committee is dated July 4. A report is awaited on the matter, according to a senior official of the Wetland Authority. After dead fish were found in Najafgarh earlier this week, the DPCC collected water samples for analysis from the drain.

According to a water quality report on the Najafgarh drain from June, uploaded on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s website, the chemical oxygen demand in the drain was 346 mg/litre, above the standard of 250 mg/litre. The level of total suspended solids was 172 mg/litre above the standard of 100 mg/litre, going by the analysis report on the water quality status of major drains in the city.

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