Mohan Kuthar

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Feb 13: A large number of fish reared by pisciculture in Netravati river have died. The owners have suspected that poisonous effluents which are being released into the river have contaminated the water resulting in their death.

The fish being reared by Blara D’ Souza worth Rs 2.5 lacs have died. Blara D’ Souza had started rearing the fish after taking a loan from Mudra bank two years ago. This is the second time that he is incurring a loss. Tiny fish were left in the water during November 2022. The 4,500 Pompano breed fish had grown to a large extent. It has had no problems since the last one and a half years. However he found about 22 fish dead when he went to the river side on Saturday, February 11 in the morning. All the fish in the cage had died subsequently and were found floating in the river water.

As it is suspected that chemical effluents being released into the river from a nearby factory had caused their death, scientists from Ekkoor Fisheries Science University and the fisheries department have visited the spot and taken the water samples to the laboratory for examination.