Jamshedpur: Thousands of fish were found dead along the banks of the Subarnarekha River on Wednesday morning, sparking a major pollution alert in the city. The grim discovery was made near the Bhuiyadih Lal Bhatta slum area, where over four quintals of dead fish washed ashore.
Massive Die-off Reported
Local residents who reached the riverbanks early in the morning were met with the sight of a vast quantity of dead fish, ranging in size from 250 grams to 1.5 kilograms. While official estimates place the initial recovery at 400 kilograms, locals fear the actual number of dead fish in the deeper sections of the river could be significantly higher.
Industrial Pollution Suspected
The Subarnarekha River has long struggled with rising pollution levels. Environmental experts point to a lethal combination of factors: as water travels approximately 30 kilometers from the Chandil Dam to its confluence with the Kharkai River, it is subjected to heavy discharge. A major contributor is believed to be the untreated industrial waste flowing from the Adityapur Industrial Area, which severely degrades the water quality by the time it reaches Jamshedpur.
Health Warning Issued
The sudden mass mortality has raised immediate health concerns for those living along the riverbanks. Experts have issued a cautionary note, stating that while fish deaths caused purely by a drop in dissolved oxygen levels might not be inherently toxic, deaths resulting from chemical pollutants or toxic effluents pose a “serious threat” to human health if consumed.
Call for Action
The incident has triggered a wave of anxiety among the local population, who rely on the river for various needs. Residents and environmental activists have called upon the district administration and the State Pollution Control Board to conduct an immediate investigation into the water’s chemical composition and hold the polluting industries accountable.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the administration is expected to collect water and biological samples to determine whether the cause was a sudden depletion of oxygen or the illegal discharge of hazardous chemicals.
Expert Speak
“If the death of fish is due to lack of oxygen in the water, then there will not be much harm from their consumption. But if this incident has happened due to chemical pollution or poisonous elements, then consumption of such fish can become a serious threat to health,” said an environmentalist.
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