The flow of sewage into Kukkarahalli Lake has continued to take its toll on the aquatic organisms, with fishes found dead on Sunday. Conservationists however are hopeful that such incidents will not recur in the future, following the completion of ongoing project to divert the flow of sewage into the Lake.
When contacted by Deccan Herald, Assistant Horticulture Officer of University of Mysore, the custodian of the lake, S K Mujavar said that ‘carcass of fish were found floating on Sunday morning. They were cleared using two coracles with the help of Karnataka State Cooperative Fisheries Federation. About 150-200 large fish were removed during the operation’.
Convener of Kukkarahalli Lake Protection Committee, K M Jayaramaiah attributed the fish kill due to a reduction in dissolved oxygen levels near the banks of the lake, owing to the flow of sewage from Paduvarahalli side. “Such fish kills occur when dissolved oxygen level dips below 3 milligram per litre of water. Fish require 5-6 milligram per litre of the same to survive,” he said.
He added that works taken up to divert the flow of sewage into the lake to a sewage treatment plant is expected to be completed in the course of the next month and half, after which such problems will not be repeated, he said.
A similar incident was witnessed during November 2014, where dead fish were fished out from the lake for three days, after a microcystin bloom, which was also attributed to sewage flow, claimed their lives.