Chemical discharge poisons Rudrapur river, kills scores of fish

RUDRAPUR: Toxic chemicals allegedly dumped into the Begul river in Uttarakhand have led to the death of several fish in Udham Singh Nagar, drawing angry reactions from residents. Dead fish were found floating on the river’s surface and scattered along its banks amid swathes of toxic foam on Sunday evening, triggering outrage and serious environmental concerns.

The situation was further aggravated by the complete absence of authorities at the site in Rudrapur, the district headquarters, even hours after the incident. Taking advantage of the lack of supervision, people were seen collecting the dead fish and taking them home, raising public health concerns. Experts warned that consuming fish killed by chemically contaminated water can prove fatal.

Social activist Sushil Gava said, “Industrial effluents, pesticides and other poisonous substances have been released into the river by industrial units in the Pantnagar SIDCUL area for a long time.” This has led to contamination of a 300-400m stretch of the river.

The incident mirrors the poisoning of the Kalyani river during Chhath festivities earlier this year, when hundreds of fish were killed in a similar manner. At the time, the district administration and the state pollution control board had assured a thorough probe and strict action, but no concrete outcome followed. Residents said that the lack of punitive action has emboldened environmental offenders.

Environmental expert Ramesh Lal warned that repeated poisoning of rivers poses a serious threat to the region’s ecological balance. “Apart from wiping out aquatic life, such contamination can severely affect groundwater, livestock and agriculture,” he said.

Additional district magistrate Pankaj Upadhyay said samples have been collected from the river for testing and a detailed investigation will be conducted. “Strict legal action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” he added.



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