Telangana State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary P. Satyanarayana Reddy has ordered payment of ₹1,03,28,200 as compensation for the fish kill in Gandigudem Cheruvu of Sulthanpur village in Ameenpur mandal by 18 industries to the Fishermen Co-operative Society.
The decision was based upon the valuation of damage arrived at by the District Fisheries Officer, Sangareddy. Similarly ₹40,000 compensation to be paid to the fishermen for the fish kill in Ayyamma Cheruvu of Gaddapotharam village by 11 industries based on the loss estimated by the DFO.
The Task Force Committee hearing was held on Thursday to review the issues related to the mortality of fish that occurred in Gandigudem Tank and Ayyamma Tank on October 4 and 5. Suspected 29 industries located in the catchment of the above tanks were called for the hearing. The District Fisheries Officer and representatives of the fishermen also attended. Representative of the CPCB was also present.
The committee examined the analysis reports of the samples collected from the tanks, nearby drains and from the industries. It concluded that the main reason for death of fish was due to the contaminated rain water that entered from the industries into the tanks during the heavy rains last week.
The committee took a serious note of the incidents and directed the industries to submit a time-bound action plan to handle contaminated seepages and rain water from the industries premises within two weeks. The panel recommended that the action plan shall be prepared scientifically with cost estimates and time lines. It also recommended action against the industries which had failed to contain the contaminated rain water and seepages into outside drains finally joining the Gandigudem and Ayyamma tanks.
The Collector will hand over the compensation amount to the affected Fishermen Co-operative Societies.
