Fish wash up at Subhas Sarovar

Kolkata: Scores of fish have been found floating in the Subhas Sarovar waterbody at Beliaghata on Saturday morning. Many locals were found lifting the "seemingly dead" fish from the waterbody and carrying them to their homes.

The waterbody is maintained by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) while the Anglers' Association looks after the fish in the Sarovar on a lease basis. The fish that were mainly spotted were big silver cups and people were seen carrying them on their backs, in towels and even in baskets.

Locals apprehended that some sort of contamination in the water had resulted in the death. However, senior officials from the KMDA visited the spot along with experts of the West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS) soon after the incident and assured the Association and the locals that there is nothing to panic. The experts ruled out any poisoning or infection of the fish species or any kind of problem with the water.

"Mainly big silver cups were found gasping due to low oxygen and coming near the bank and surface of the waterbody. There was hardly any Rohu, Katla or Mrigal varieties. Friday was very hot and the sky was overcast on Saturday morning. Such conditions contributed in reducing the oxygen level in the water due to thermocline disturbances and the species, struggling due to lack of oxygen, came up on the water surface gasping for breath and people started catching them," a senior official of the KMDA stated.

As per the advice of the WBUAFS, the KMDA used a pump for more aeration with the help of the Anglers' Association. It started raining soon after and the temperature dropped and the problem got solved automatically. No fish were found floating since afternoon.

"Rabindra Sarovar is a pride to the residents of South Kolkata, as is Subhas Sarovar for East Kolkata. We take utmost care in the maintenance of both these waterbodies," the KMDA official added.