A large number of fishes were found dead at a civic holding pond at sector 19 in Koparkhairane on Thursday morning. However, by the time, the civic body reached the pond to check it, many locals took away some of the fishes. The civic body has now sent the water sample to the laboratory to find any contamination in the water.
Locals spotted the fish floating at the holding pond on Thursday morning when they went there for a morning walk. A senior official from the Koparkhairane ward said that they received information from locals about the fish floating in the pond. The official added that the fish might have died in the night, and it started floating in the morning.
The exact quantity of the fishes could not be ascertained as many locals took away some fishes before the civic officials reached there.
According to civic officials, a wide variety of fishes are found at the holding pond. A few of them are Bangada (Mackerel), Surmai (Spanish mackerel), Jitada (Indian sea bass), Mogra (catfish), Bombil (Bombay duck) among others.
Ashok Madvi, ward officer of Kopar Khairane said, “The holding pond is cleaned on a regular basis and there is less chance that fish died due to dirty water. However, we have collected the water sample and will send to the laboratory for examination of contamination.”
The civic body has already deputed a security guard and the civic officials claimed that it is unlikely the water was contaminated with any chemicals. However, the issue will be investigated from all angles.
This is, however, not the first time that the fish have died in the lake. Even fishes were seen floating at the holding pond in Nerul in the past. The sudden change in weather is also believed to have affected marine lives.
