Pune: Dead Fish Discovered in Pavana River, MPCB Denies Chemical Contamination
Pune: Dead Fish Discovered in Pavana River, MPCB Denies Chemical Contamination
A large number of dead fish were found floating in the Pavana river near Kejubai bund at Thergaon on Thursday, sparking concerns about water pollution. Environmental activists blamed the civic authorities for their failure to act against the “toxic foam” allegedly reported in the water over the past three days.
However, officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have ruled out chemical contamination as the cause of the fish deaths. According to the MPCB, the fish likely died due to a reduction in dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
The MPCB official explained that the irrigation department had stopped releasing water from Ravet bund towards Kejubai bund for the past month, resulting in stagnant water in the stretch. When fresh water was released from Pavana dam into the river, it mixed with the stagnant water and created foam as it fell from a height at Kejubai bund.
The MPCB has collected water samples and is conducting a detailed analysis. While initial findings suggest no chemical contamination, the board is investigating whether detergent from nearby dry cleaning firms could have contributed to the foam.
Nilesh Pingale of Thergaon Social Foundation, who first reported the incident to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), expressed concerns about the lack of action from the authorities despite repeated complaints about pollution in the river.
Pingale while talking to Pune Pulse pointed out that many drainage lines are directly connected to the river without passing through treatment plants, resulting in a layer of toxic foam that harms aquatic life. The PCMC has claimed that it found nothing in its jurisdiction that could have led to the incident and has informed the MPCB to investigate further.
