Fish die under mysterious circumstances in Kameng River, Itanagar admin advise against its consumption

Locals at Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh woke up to sights dead fishes floating at the Kameng river at Seppa today. People swarmed the river banks to collect the dead fishes,

Locals at Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh woke up to sights dead fishes floating at the Kameng river at Seppa today. People swarmed the river banks to collect the dead fishes, some of them later heading to the local market to sell them.

Eyewitnesses reports say that the river suddenly changed colour on the night of 28^th following which fish started dying and floating in the river.

As to the reason for the fish dying suddenly, the district fisheries development officer of Seppa reported that the change in turbidity Kameng and the lowering of dissolved oxygen in its water lead to the tragedy.

With the locals rushing in to gather the fishes both from the river and the markets the district administration of Seppa immediately issued an advisory asking people not to venture into the river to catch fishes floating in the Kameng or consume them.

The district administration has also warned it will not be responsible for any untoward incident if anyone violates its advisory.

The District Medical Officer of Seppa, Dr. Kaya Lapung has also appealed to the public not to consume the fishes before they are tested for toxicity.

Following the Seppa Town magistrates order the Deputy Commissioner of Itanagar has asked the fishmongers and vendors, not to sell fishes caught from Seppa in Itanagar.

Earlier in Seppa local freshwater fishes which sell for over ₹1000/kg on a normal day were being sold for ₹200/kg.

The reason for the change in colour, turbidity and the lowering of oxygen levels in the water of Kameng is not out yet.

In a statement issued by the Kameng river rejuvenation club it appealed Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu, Seppa District Administration, Minister of Environment Mama Natung to intervene & unearth the reason behind this ecological disaster.
“The entire aquatic life structure of the Kameng River is on the verge of being wiped out. The Kameng River turned muddy all of sudden last night & caused its aquatic creatures to die without any report of inclement weather in this region,” it said in a statement.

It demanded that if the changes in the river are a man-made one, the person(s) responsible should be tried under the relevant sections of the Wildlife protection act 1972 and other environmental acts and punished accordingly.

COMMENTS