‘Decrease in dissolved oxygen levels may have caused fish deaths’

The civic body had taken water samples from the pond,where several hundred fish were seen floating. Locals claimed that all the fish “mysteriously died” in the span of two days and that the water felt oily on touch.

The local ward office will wait for a no-objection certificate from the storm water drains (SWD) department to begin draining the water and de-silting the pond,said S Dhonde,assistant commissioner,(R/North). “The de-silting work is generally carried out by the SWD department and I will take up this matter with them,” Dhonde said.

Workers had removed most of the dead fish from the pond Wednesday.

The report also said the samples had an odour that was similar to that of sewage. However,civic officials dismiss the possibility of sewage influx into the pond. “ The pond is isolated and has no connection to any sewage line,so it is not possible for sewage to reach it,” said Dhonde.

Officials also suspect lack of frequent de-silting and draining of water could be the cause of the sudden deaths. “We don’t know when de-silting was last done at the pond. Ponds taken care of by the civic body undergo regular de-silting. But this is not the case with private ponds and this could have resulted in pollution and fish deaths,” said another civic official.

Anjali Lukose

anjali.lukose@expressindia.com