Fish perish due to water pollution

Deepanker Gupta

Udhampur, May 17

Hundreds of fish have died in local nullahs at Battal Ballian, Dudhar and Barrian in Udhampur district due to excessive water pollution allegedly caused due to discharge from some units at local Battal Ballian Industrial Area. However, the administration seems to have taken no action against the erring factory owners.

According to reports, more than four tonnes of fish have died as poisonous sewage was discharged directly or indirectly into these nullahs from local industrial units a week ago without any treatment.

“The fish died suddenly. They perished because of chemicals released by the nearby factories,” said a local resident. However, officials said the reason for the river getting polluted was not certain.

Reacting to the incident, the Fishery Department said an investigation will be conducted. On the other hand, the Pollution Control Department asserted that it had not yet received any complaint and was not aware of the case.

Inspector in the Fishery Department Rakesh Paba said that a proper investigation would be done to determine the cause behind the river getting polluted. Primarily, it seemed the chemical discharge from local industrial units was responsible for it, he added.

He said, “We will examine that whether the reason is chemical waste from factories or something else.” When contacted, the district officer, Pollution Control Board, Udhampur, said that till date he had not received any information about the incident. “Whenever, I receive a complaint, we will act as per law.”

Blaming local industrial units, local BSP leader Ranjit Singh said that the fish had died as factories had thrown poisonous waste around five days ago into the nullahs when it was raining in the area.