A large number of fish and fingerlings have died in Bhosga tank near Kere Bhosga village on the outskirts of Kalaburagi city due to severe heatwave conditions and depletion of water level in the tank.
The fish kill in the tank, spread over nearly 30 acres, where water is available in three small ponds, was first noticed a couple of days ago. Lack of oxygen in the water and reduction in the quantum of water coupled with heatwave conditions hastened the process of fish kill.
Now, it is feasting time for birds, cranes and stray dogs on the tank bed.
The residents of Kere Bhosga said that the tank had not received any inflow this year owing to scanty rainfall in the catchment areas and of late they had seen water snakes and frogs moving from the tank due to the depleting water level. Bhosga tank, constructed by the erstwhile Nizam government, was the main source of drinking water of Kalaburagi city till the authorities started tapping water from the Bennethora and the Bhima.
As the holding capacity of the tank came down drastically due to siltation of the tank bed, the authorities decided to take up dredging.
The Bhimalli Gram Panchayat is utilising the funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act for the purpose.
Halliraya Desai, panchayat development officer of Bhimalli Gram Panchayat, told The Hindu that Rs. 10 lakh had been earmarked under the MNREGA for dredging the tank and 565 labourers from the village were involved in the work for the past 37 days.
They would be provided employment till March 31. From April, 680 labourers from Kere Bhosga village would be provided employment till the end of June.
