Thousands of Fish Found Dead in Subarnarekha River; Saryu Roy Demands Inquiry into Sewage Pollution

Jamshedpur: The recurring phenomenon of mass fish deaths in Jamshedpur continues as thousands of dead fish were discovered in the Subarnarekha River beneath the Dobo Bridge on Sunday. The incident came to light around 3:00 a.m. when local fishermen arrived at the river and found they could collect fish by hand without using nets, as the fish were already dead. Chunnu Bhumij, President of the Sonari Mandal of Janata Dal (United), reported the matter to Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy.

By the time Roy reached the site, a large number of residents had already carried away the dead fish, leaving only a few remains behind. After inspecting the area, Roy noted that the fish deaths occurred on a massive scale near a sewage drain flowing from the Sonari area. He criticized infrastructure projects initiated five years ago by a former minister, specifically citing several ponds or “kunds” that were intended to treat water but have instead become sources of filth. Roy stated that the dirty water from these stagnant ponds is now discharging directly into the river.

The MLA suggested that contaminated substances are likely entering the river through the sewage system, causing the fatalities. He also pointed to the abundance of water hyacinth plants in the vicinity as evidence of domestic pollutants mixing with the river water. Roy expressed grave concern over the fact that citizens continue to bathe in the same water, warning that the adverse health effects could be severe. He demanded that the Pollution Control Board, Tata Steel, and the local municipality conduct a thorough investigation and publicly disclose the exact cause of the fish deaths.