SrinagarConcern spread across the Langate area of north Kashmirs Kupwara district after over 14,000 trout fish were found dead at a fish farm on Friday morning.
District authorities issued warnings for residents in about 24 villages not to consume water from the Mawar nullah until further notice but withdrew the notice late on Friday.
Officials said that the fish might have died because of a chemical spill into the Mawar nullah that feeds the fish farm at Kutlari.
According to the MLA from Langate, Engineer Rasheed, the spill had occurred due to the negligence of the army camp located at Naugam.
An official said that the police are investigating the incident and water samples from the Mawar stream had been sent for necessary testing to determine the cause of the deaths.
Some dead fish weighed more than two kilograms.
According to Engineer Rasheed, who had remonstrated with the army and called for punishment for those responsible, the army had identified the chemical as Phenyl Formate (C7H6O2), a kind of disinfectant.
“The chemical was so effective that it caused deaths of more than 14000 fishes in trout farm in a few minutes,” said Showkat Ahmad, Additional Director Fisheries Kupwara who along with senior police and civil officers visited the spot.
The authorities have also issued an advisory asking people of at least 24 villages not to consume water from the stream till it is cleaned.
A large number of fish in Mawar nallah also died due to the chemical, the official said.
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