Homage frenzy chokes fishes

Marine life hit in Banganga tank during pitrupaksh ceremony

Like every year, thousands of devotees gathered at the Banganga tank at Walkeshwar to perform rituals on the last day of the Pitrupaksh, the period during which Hindus pray for their ancestors. But despite the arrangements made BMC, dead fish were found floating in the reservoir.

Officials said that the marine life in the tank was affected due to lack of oxygen and the pollution caused by the offerings in water. Last year, thousands of fish in the tank were killed during the Pitrupaksh period.

According to the corporation around two buckets of fish were removed after the rituals were over. Talking to DNA Rajendra Narwankar, assistant engineer environment, said “We tried our best to ensure that the marine life wasn’t harmed. We had installed pumps that sucked water and then threw it back in the tank from a height to help maintain the oxygen level but that did not seem to be adequate. However, compared to last year, the number of fish deaths reported this year was only 10%.”

Narwankar further said that the number could have been relatively lower if they had managed to get aerators on time.

Aerators are submersible operative pumps that blow oxygen from the bottom of a water bed. They come to the surface in forms of bubbles and keep the oxygen level intact. “We tried to procure them this time too but somehow they did not reach us in time.
Next time they will definitely be installed inside the reservoir,” he said.

Apart from this, priests performing the pujas were requested to ensure that the people put all their offerings in the nirmalya kalash. “The five pots were being cleared at regular intervals. The collected nirmalya was then sent for vermin-composting to Rani Baug,” informed Narwankar.

BMC had also engaged 13 NGO members, eight clean-up marshals, and 10 labourers to clean the area. “Also, four people were fined for dirtying the streets while 23 had to pick up the trash as punishment,” said Narwankar.

s_ashutosh@dnaindia.net