Hundreds of dead fish were found near the banks of river Yamuna, flowing through the regions between Mathura and Agra on Tuesday. The shoal was found near the Rambagh Ghat in Agra. The reason for the incident is expected to be the rising levels of pollutants and industrial waste being administered into the river. This is the second such incident this year. The first time a larger number than this was found dead near the banks of river Yamuna was in July, reported The Times of India. The incident was reported by people who came to the river bank to feed the fish. On seeing hundreds of dead fish washed ashore, they informed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), who then initiated an investigation into the matter. The water near the Rambagh Ghat was thoroughly tested, and a report regarding the same is expected soon.

“The water flow at Gokul barrage in Mathura was stopped for a while. Due to this, the mud dissolved in the water must have depleted the required levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) for the survival of aquatic life,” Vishwanath Sharma, UPPCB regional officer, told Amar Ujala. However, the officials at the Gokul barrage denied the claims.

For aquatic life to survive, the permissible level of DO should be above 4.5mg/litre. However, according to a report by Amar Ujala, it was found that the DO level at the Rambagh Ghat stooped down to 3mg/litre, which caused the school of fish to die and wash ashore.

Moreover, it is expected that the infusion of treated wastewater resulted in the chlorine levels going off the charts. This, too, must have added to the causes of the incident. According to reports, the chlorine levels in the river Yamuna near the Taj Mahal are currently hovering around 90,000, crossing the danger mark by a whopping 85,000.

Hundreds Of Dead Fish Found Near Banks of Yamuna Between Mathura, Agra

The water near the Rambagh Ghat was thoroughly tested, and a report regarding the same is expected soon.