The Hindu : Fish deaths in Gomti causing concern

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 28, 2003

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Fish deaths in Gomti causing concern

LUCKNOW JULY 27. The effluents flushed into River Gomti by distilleries around Lucknow have alarmingly made 24 species of fish vulnerable to extinction and have recently led to the death of lakhs of fish.

The frequent inflow of heavy metals like cadmium and mercury and pesticides including melathian and endosulphan have endangered the very existence of fish in the river.

With the river, virtually being devoid of the fish due to their sudden mass death on June 27 last, the scientists have expressed fear that it might take over than ten years for the varieties of fish to revive and grow in the river.

According to a survey conducted by the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) here after the death of the fish, surprisingly no organism of the Piscean (fish) kingdom was found in the 50 km stretch of the river, and the experts feared more loss of fish across the total river stretch than actually estimated.

The NBFGR told UNI that a study conducted over the years had shown that during the past decade over eight species of fish had become extinct (no trace of a particular variety found) in the river where there were 84 varieties inhabiting the river some ten years ago.

Also, out of the 76 species which were found before the mass death took place, 24 species were reported to be endangered.

Even as the latest case has not only raised a question mark on the revival of lakhs of fish, it has also led to severe loss for the food industry as most of the common varieties of fish eaten by the people are nowhere to be found.

Sanjay Pandey, a senior research scholar at the Bureau, said, ``Though the hotel industry is managing its quota of fishes from West Bengal and parts adjoining the Ganga and the Yamuna but the loss of eatable varieties in Gomti cannot be undermined.''

Among the most famous varieties lost include Rohu (Labeo Rohita), Mrigal or Nayani (Serenus Mrigala), Catla Catla, Tengan (Mystus Seenghala and Hara Hara), Mangur (Clarius batrachus), Purval (Murgil corsila), Mahaseer (Tor tor), Puti (Puntius sarana) and Gurdi (Chanda nama).

Besides a heavy loss to the food industry, the scientists have also raised the concern of the severe imbalance in the ecosystem caused by the deaths.

Says Mr. Pandey, "The very basic aquatic (water-based) food chain in Gomti has been totally destroyed and the fish which used to eat the insects and prevent the algal blooms (enormous growth of algae in the river destroying the purity of water), will not be stopped anymore.''

Mr. Pandey further said, ``Moreover, since the death took place in the monsoon season which is the peak time for fish breeding, most of the aquatic inhabitants who died were fully mature, ready for fertilization and their eggs would hardly have any chances of survival. It will not take less than 10 years for the fish to revive.''

Meanwhile, N.S. Nagpure of the NBFGR, while citing the reasons behind the major tragedy said on June 27 the heavy discharge of effluents from the factories and the distilleries nearby was not allowed to uniformly flow into the river as the barrage was closed. As a result the concentration of the pollutants increased alarmingly in the river which the fishes could not sustain and died.

The sudden death also pointed fingers towards the claims of a senior official recently that the water in Gomti was completely clean. Dr. Nagpure said, ``The fish are one of the important bio-indicators. With their death in such a large number, it is anybody's guess as to how clean the river water is.''

He said a comprehensive analysis of the toxicity of Gomti water was currently undergoing at the Industrial Toxicology and Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow which would soon release its report on the tragedy.

-- UNI

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Fish deaths in Gomti causing concern