Source

VADODARA, GUJARAT, INDIA, October 12, 2004: Thousands of fish have died in the city’s Kankaria and Sursagar lakes in Vadodara city after the dissolved oxygen (DO) level fell to zero in the last two days, according to officials in the two municipal corporations. “The DO level, which must be at least two for the fish to survive, fell to zero and the reason behind this is the cumulative effect of large-scale dumping of icons as well as the cloudy weather since few days,” Kankaria Zoo Superintendent R K Sahu told PTI here. He said the lakes had become a dumping place for icons and other material used in religious ceremonies many of which are made from plaster of paris and other chemicals that are responsible for reducing the oxygen level. “This year close to 3,000 big icons and 7,000 small icons were immersed in the lakes and absence of adequate sunlight and cloudy weather also is responsible for reduction in oxygen as algae absorbs most of it,” he explained. The fish are suspected to have died since Saturday night prompting zoo authorities to swing into action as the lake is the venue for Gujarat government’s “Vibrant Navratri festival” beginning on October 14. “A compressor, four floating fountains and firefighters were used to remove these dead fish immediately as well as the DO level was increased to seven,” Sahu added. Officials in Vadodara Municipal Corporation have also indicated that an inquiry would be conducted into the death of fish in such large number in Sursagar lake in recent times.

Post Views: 589