Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Hundreds of dead fish found floating in Nerul pond
NERUL: Hundreds of dead fish surfaced in a pond in Nerul on Friday. Locals said that the deaths were due to some chemical being dumped in the water body.
The Naya Khadi pond located along the Palm Beach Road was full of dead fish floating as the locals watched in disbelief around 5.30pm.
Vikas Bhagat, a local fisherman, said: “I saw over 1,500 fishes turning up dead in the pond. Prima facie it seems they died owing to chemical pollution in the pond.”
Bhagat said: “There have been several instances of industries dumping their untreated waste in the pond over the years. We have repeatedly complained to the authorities but there has not been much action.”
He added that no Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) official has visited the site although they have been informed.
Residents are worried after the incident. Sukhvinder Kaur, a resident, said: “While some dead fish were eaten by birds, some were taken by the local fishermen for sale. By Saturday evening, the floating dead fish were gone. This would mean that those who buy the fish will consume contaminated food.”
She added that had the authorities taken immediate action, it could have been prevented. “The beautiful pond is dying due to such action,” Kaur said.
MPCB officials could not be contacted for their comment.
That the city’s water bodies are becoming polluted is evident from such incidents which are becoming common. Last year, dead fish were found floating on Mini Seashore creek. Dumping of garbage and chemicals has made the water bodies polluted, threatening marine life.