Thousands of fishes die in Ambazari Lake

Morning walkers on Friday found that thousands of dead fishes were floating on Ambazari lake and some of them claimed that the fishes are rapidly dying in the lake from Thursday. Some environment lovers of the city immediately informed the Garden Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) about it. Ambazari lake is a hot favourite destination for citizens where people prefer to sit near the bank. The Vivekanand Memorial is another major tourist destination of the lake that attracts hundreds of visitors regularly.

“It occurs due to increasing water temperature or some kind of water contamination. Now, the authority have to find out the reason behind it,” said Mohd Israle, Consultant, NMC to The Hitavada. Amol Chorpagar, Garden Superintendent, NMC said, “A team of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) took the water sample of the lake and we are waiting for the report which we will receive on Monday.” The lake is surrounded with garden and vegetation from three sides. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) release their waste water after treatment in the lake. NEERI is working on water contamination that may happen due to the waste water released by MIDC. NEERI will also take water samples of the waste water on Saturday to check the water quality.

Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (OFAJ) and Wadi area are currently facing sever water scarcity and NMC is providing water from Ambazari lake to OFAJ and Wadi Municipal Council. Therefore, it will be a major concern for OFAJ in near future to get clean water from the lake during summer. Same incidents were also reported in June 2014, October 2015 and April 2016. According to an expert, “The fishes in lakes normally die due to the lack of oxygen caused by the mixing of drainage water into the lake. There is a possibility of water contamination on the upper layer of the water that poisoned fishes.”