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Hundreds of fish perish in Himachal’s Rewalsar Lake
It is learnt that the colour of the water in Himachal’s Rewalsar Lake , known for its floating reed islands, has changed to dark brown due to silt accumulation. Besides silting, over-feeding by visitors is being cited as the cause of fish mortality.
Hundreds of fish have perished over the past five days in Rewalsar Lake, a sacred natural lake, in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
State fisheries secretary Rakesh Kanwar said a team of experts has been sent to the lake to ascertain the cause.
It is learnt that the colour of the water in the lake, known for its floating reed islands, has changed to dark brown due to silt accumulation. Besides silting, over-feeding by visitors is being cited as the cause of fish mortality.
The Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board has collected samples for testing after the colour of water changed due to silt accumulation. “More silt has accumulated at the surface of the lake, which could have led to this. The amount of oxygen in the water is not sufficient,” said a board official.
The organisation taking care of the lake, which is sacred for Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, has deployed workers to check visitors from feeding the fish.
Urging the district administration to step in and save the situation from worsening, Vyapar Mandal Principal Development Action Group president Naresh Sharma said: “The state government should take steps soon to ensure more fish don’t die.”
Nagar Panchayat president Sulochana Devi, vice-president Kamal Gupta and councillor Labh Singh Thakur said in a joint statement that the discolouration of the lake’s water was a cause for concern and corrective action should be taken.
Three Buddhist monasteries and a gurdwara are situated at Rewalsar. The lake also has three temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva and sage Lomas. The lake is square-shaped and located about 1,360m above the sea level.
