AMALAPURAM: Over the last 15 days, approximately one-tonne fish have died at S Yanam in Uppalaguptam mandal of Konaseema district.
While officials of the fisheries department have confirmed pollution in the saltwater ponds to be the reason for the mass fish deaths, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) have collected samples of the water for further testing.
Speaking to TNIE, fisheries department development officer (Uppalaguptam) P Naga Vishnu said, “More than one tonne fish have died due to water pollution. We have informed PCB about the situation and asked them to test the quality of water.”
Elaborating, Vishnu said wastewater released from local fish ponds into the seawater ponds might have led to the mass fish deaths.
Waste water from six drains, including Vasalathippa, Kunavaram, Kandikuppa and Chirra Yanam, is flowing into the salt water ponds, further affecting breeding of the fish. S Yanam has two saltwater ponds, Nachu Parra and Dalla Parra. These are connected to fish ponds and village drains through canals.
Fishermen from four villages use country-made boats to catch fish in these ponds.Thousands of dead fish washing ashore daily for the last 15 days during breeding season has put them in a fix. PCB assistant environmental engineer G Karuna Rekha said water samples were collected and sent to a laboratory for testing.