Sonamura, October 2: A concerning report of a significant number of dead fish has prompted swift action from local authorities, as they race to determine the cause behind the consecutive days of large-scale fish deaths. Led by Muslem Uddin Ahmed from the Fisheries Department, officials including Khsitish Debbarma and Kamal Haque from Sepahijala District and Sonamura sub-division, along with SDM Manik Lal Das, visited the sprawling Padmadhepa Lake, covering approximately 100 kani area in Sonamura on Monday.
Members of the local fish farming community, represented by the Brothers Group, asserted that a recurring phenomenon of extensive fish mortality during the rainy season has become an unfortunate norm. This year proved to be no exception, with blame directed at the ONGC authority. Fish farmers allege that toxic materials discharged from a nearby ONGC project have contaminated the lake water, leading to the alarming death of fish.
Today, the investigative team made their way to the Padmadhepa Lake area and engaged with ONGC project representatives, including Project Manager Amar Priyo Basumatari. Despite ONGC’s denial of the fish farmers’ allegations, they agreed to cooperate with the visiting team from the Fisheries Department.
Following a comprehensive inspection, officials from the Fisheries Department and ONGC gathered samples of lake water, water from surrounding wetlands, and soil for a thorough investigation. Both ONGC and the Fisheries Department are set to conduct tests on these samples, aiming to uncover the reasons behind the annual mass fish deaths that inflict significant financial hardship on the local community. The joint effort seeks to shed light on the environmental challenges faced by Padmadhepa Lake and its surrounding areas.
