A large number of fish, mostly Jalebi fish, were found dead in the irrigation tank maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD) in Natrampalli town near Tirupattur on Friday.
Residents and local fishermen noticed the fish washed up on the bund of the 40-feet-deep tank spread across 125 acres. Immediately, they alerted panchayat and Fisheries Department officials, who removed the dead fish and collected samples to find the cause of death.
The death of such a large number of fish has been attributed to depletion in the oxygen level in the water. Residents said unauthorised discharge of sewage water into the moat may have led to the depletion of oxygen-level in the water, resulting in the death of the fish.
As per estimates, more than 50 kg of fish were removed from the tank by the Department on Friday. “Soaring temperature, especially during summer, is another reason for the death of the small fish. The existing water level is also getting reduced faster due to the extreme heat,” said S. Nandakumar, Executive Officer (EO), Natrampalli Town Panchayat.
Officials of the Department of Fisheries said that most of the fish found dead in the tank were Jalebi fish (Tilapia Fillets). It is a common variety found in fresh and brackish waterbodies.
The tank is a lifeline for farmers and residents for irrigation and domestic consumption. At present, the entire tank has been used to cultivate fish for commercial purposes. Revenue generated from auctioning, which is done once in three years, of the lake for fishing goes to the civic body to provide basic facilities in the town. Catla fish, varying from two to four feet, is among the major varieties of fish found in the tank. On an average, three tonnes each of the major varieties such as Catla and Jalebi are netted every year and sold in the local market, and in towns like Tirupattur, Jolarpet, Ambur, Vaniyambadi, and Gudiyatham. Due to the heavy rain last monsoon, the tank received a good inflow of water from the neighbouring Mottur lake and other waterbodies, helping in the growth of the fish. With the temperature soaring at 40 degrees in the region in the last few days, the water level in the tank reduced considerably. Apart from irrigating more than 2,400 acres of farmland in the area, the tank also helps to provide drinking water to residents in the town. More than 15 borewells have been dug near the bund of the tank to provide piped water to the residents.
