Mass fish kill: Periyar rotting due to dead fish

Varapuzha: After the  mass fish kill reported on Tuesday due to industrial effluents, the pungent smell of dead fish has escalated along the riverbanks. Tons of fish died in cages in the Periyar River and nearby water channels. The putrid smell persists because the dead fish have not been removed from the water, even after two days.

As the enumeration of the fish killed in cages has not been completed yet, the dead fish cannot be removed. Some people have disposed of the fish on their own. 

The acrid smell from the dead fish lying on water channels has made it difficult for the residents of the area. They have demanded urgent action on the scientific disposal of the fish. 

The Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials have informed that steps will be taken to remove the dead fish accumulated in Periyar and its channels immediately. The inspection will be conducted even on river depths. Assistance of experts will be sought for this. 

The minister and the chairperson of the board will visit the affected areas of Periyar on Thursday. The Pollution Control Board officials have said that the entire cleaning of the river will be requested. 

Protesting against the incident, people from various panchayats threw rotten fish at the Pollution Control Board's office in Eloor on Wednesday morning. Protests were also held under the leadership of various organizations. The protests came to an end after Pollution Control Board officials assured that the estimation and report regarding compensations would be completed within a week. 
 
In Periyar alone, a preliminary assessment of a loss of more than Rs 10 crore was reported. The estimate of the damage was calculated during the preliminary survey conducted by various panchayats adjacent to Periyar. 

With only weeks left for harvesting, the fish were killed, causing a huge loss to farmers. There are more than 450 fish cages in Kadamakkudy, Varapuzha, Cheranallur, and Mulavukad panchayats alone. This is an estimate of licensed fish farms. Apart from this, there are numerous ones operating without licenses.