Herbicide triggers fish apocalypse in Yadadri's Muktapur lake, Hyd fish supply chain may snap

YADADRI: A massive fishkill has been reported at Muktapur Lake, situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, in Bhoodhan Pochampally mandal of Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. The lake, connected to the highly polluted Musi river, has witnessed the death of fish worth 25 lakh over the past few days. The fishkill is believed to have been triggered by spraying herbicide using drones to eliminate water hyacinth.Incidentally, fish from water bodies in the area are supplied to Hyderabad.
Local residents have expressed concern over the contamination of lakes along the Musi river course, considering it a significant threat. Bhoodhan Pochampally mandal revenue officer Veerabai told TOI, "The fishkill happened due to spraying of herbicide using drones in the neighbouring tank. There is an issue of Musi river pollution, but this incident didn't happen due to the pollution."
Over five days, dead fish have been seen floating in the Narsappa Cheruvu of Muktapur, which is spread over 110 acres and is managed by the local fisherman cooperative society. G Shankar, a fisherman, said: "The society, which has 55 fishermen as members, has suffered a loss of 25 lakh. We have filed a police complaint against one K Ramachandra, responsible for spraying herbicides using drones." He mentioned that the fish from Muktapur are sold in Hyderabad, emphasizing the necessity to continue fish farming despite known pollution.
Environmental activist Pittala Srisailam highlighted the contamination of all lakes in Bhoodan Pochampally due to pollution in the Musi. "Even the soil with high contaminant levels from these tanks is sold to the brick industry," he added.
Experts have suggested that glyphosate herbicide might be the reason behind the fishkill. Professor Donti Narasimha Reddy explained, "Usually, in the summer, fishkill occurs due to a drop in oxygen levels in the water body. However, if there is inflow and outflow, it could be due to herbicide spraying. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and plant desiccant. They may have used heavy dosage to kill the weed quickly." He further warned about bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish. "If these fish are supplied to people in Hyderabad, they are consuming fish with heavy metals, which are carcinogenic. Authorities need to conduct proper testing," he added.