THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dead fish floating on the surface, unbearable stench. The Padmatheertham pond associated with the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple cuts a sorry figure. A favourite of devotees and local residents, the sacred pond has been in bad shape for weeks now. “Every day, there are dead fish floating on the surface,” said one of the vendors operating close to the pond.
Executive officer of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple Trust, Mahesh B, said they consulted the fisheries department following the recurring fish deaths. “As per their findings, this is happening due to overpopulation. The number of fish in the pond has gone up exponentially over the years,” he told TNIE.
To resolve this, the temple trust has approached the irrigation department seeking its nod to shift some of the fish to either the Neyyar or Aruvikkara dam.
“We are awaiting a reply, likely this week. Immediately upon getting approval, we will begin the shifting. Earlier too, fish from the pond were shifted with the irrigation department’s consent,” Mahesh said.
Once the shifting is done, the trust is planning to conduct a deep cleaning drive and spruce up the pond ahead of the ceremonial Lakshadeepam ritual, he said.