Hundreds of fish found dead in river in Burhanpur

Indore: Hundreds of fish were found dead on Rajghat banks of the Tapti river in Burhanpur on Wednesday morning, causing concern among local residents and environmentalists.The incident came to light when locals, who arrive daily to feed the fish, discovered the dead ones floating on the surface.Preliminary assessments suggested that a sudden spike in temperature and increasing water pollution were the primary causes of this large-scale death of the river fish. Burhanpur has witnessed a sharp rise in heat over the last week with the maximum temperature jumping from 34°C on April 10 to 41°C, where it has remained steady since April 13.A local resident, Rajkumar Chandwani, who has been feeding the fish at Rajghat for years, highlighted the deteriorating state of the river. "I was shocked to see so many dead fish. The river is extremely filthy, and there is a blatant lack of maintenance and care from all sides," he said, appealing to the public and administration to stop the inflow of waste into the holy river.Municipal commissioner Sandeep Srivastava ordered a formal probe into the incident. A specialized team from municipal corporation was sent to Rajghat to inspect the water quality and remove the dead fish to prevent further contamination.Srivastava said that he would monitor the investigation to determine the exact cause of the deaths—whether it stemmed from oxygen depletion due to the 41°C heat or chemical pollutants in the water.Environmental experts warn that receding water levels during the peak of summer often concentrate pollutants, making the habitat toxic for aquatic life.