Thousands of fish found dead in Nalagarh river

editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 5

Thousands of small fish were found dead in a river below the Jagatkhana bridge in the Nalagarh industrial area today. The dead fish were found afloat on the water and scattered on its banks.

Local villagers, including former pradhan Jagdish Saini, Avtar Singh and others were surprised to see large-scale fish mortality as they were seen strewn all over the riverbed. Though the villagers called up the local office of the state pollution control board at Baddi, no one responded, informed the villagers.

Fish mortality during the rains was not new in this area as industrial units don’t operate their effluent treatment plants and often let out untreated water into water bodies. The industrial effluents reduce the biological oxygen content in the water, thereby creating conditions not conducive for the survival of the fish and other aquatic species.

While the officials of the state pollution control board were not available for comments, the locals said it was regrettable that the board had failed to take any strict steps to ensure that the industrial units operated their effluent treatment plants, especially during the rains, when such incidents often come to light.

No official of the board had come to collect samples of the dead fish or the polluted water till evening. The state pollution control board has not even posted a permanent regional officer in the area.

An official was holding additional charge from Una despite it being the largest industrial area of the state housing 89 per cent of the state’s industry.