BERHAMPUR: Panic gripped the fishermen community after thousands of dead fish were found floating near the jetty at Gopalpur port in Ganjam district on Monday morning.
The local fishermen noticed the dead fish and informed the Fisheries department and district administration officials.
G Araya, a local fisherman, said in August last year, a similar incident had occurred at the spot. Though the matter was probed, the exact reason behind the mass death of fish and other sea creatures still remains unknown.
This continuing trend has become a major worry for local fishermen who are failing to net any catch near the coast. ''The boats of traditional fishermen do not have the power and capacity to go deep into the sea for a good catch. It has started to affect their livelihood,'' said Mangaraj Panda, a social activist working with the marine fishermen community.
Sources said though the reason behind the mysterious mass fish death this time is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that sea water pollution could be the cause.
The fishermen alleged that release of poisonous effluents from Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM) of Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL) in the vicinity might be the reason for the mass fish death.
However, the OSCOM authorities refuted the allegation and claimed that their waste water is being treated and not released directly to the sea.
Meanwhile, Chhatrapur Sub-Collector Sudhakar Sabar has asked the Fisheries officials to enquire into the mass fish death and submit a report at the earliest.
Sabar said a scientific team from Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) would reach the place to conduct a thorough examination.