Says SKUAST Requested To Conduct Tests For Presence Of Toxicity In Dal-Nigeen Waters
By M Ahmad
Srinagar- J&K Lake Conservation & Management Authority (LCMA) has said that last month’s fish kill in Dal Lake was a sign of “environmental stress” but not an “unusual” event. Nevertheless, LCMA has not ruled out the possibility of the fish kill due to the presence of pesticide and herbicide in the floating gardens and gardens around the area.
Hundreds of dead fish were seen floating over the water along fringes of Oberio Ghat, SKICC corners to Nishat Pipe Line Bund (Nishat Basin of Dal Lake) on May 22 this year, Dr Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Vice Chairman LCMA informed J&K and Ladakh High Court in compliance to the direction by the later.
On May 25, he said, fish specimens and water samples were collected from the sites. The specimen collected was of small fish (fingerlings) of Crossochellius diplochellus commonly known as Kashmir latia local name Thethur and some specimen of Carassius carassius commonly known as Crucian carp (local name Gang- e-gad) were also seen, he said.
“Fish kill is difficult to predict even when conditions that contribute to fish are known to exist,” he said, adding, “Fish are incredibly adaptable animal, but for sensitive fish sudden fluctuation in water quality and thermal stratification results in mortality though the tolerance limit of fish vary from species to species.”
He said that the fish kill is not unusual but happens every year, attributing to the various environmental factors in different seasons of the year.
“The fish kill is an annual phenomenon of natural water bodies and domesticated fish ponds. It may result from variety of causes; the most common cause of fish kill is suffocation due to thermal stratification.”
Various other environmental factors such as Pollution, (Ecological Hypoxia) Oxygen Depletion can also be the reason at times, he said.
“This condition may be brought by the Algal blooms, high temperature, diseases, poaching with chemicals, under water explosion etc. Sometimes the causes of many fish kill phenomenon are still unknown,” he said, adding, “Use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and chemicals alter the chemical parameters of water and also results in fish/fingerling mortality.”
The fish kill phenomenon of the May 2023 was at few sites of Nishat Basin of Dal Lake only where the quantum of dead fish wan’t alarming as such because it was restricted to few pockets of lake only, he said.
“It is to mention that Dal Lake did not encounter any environmental factors like algal bloom and water explosion which could result in fish kill,” he said, adding, “The preliminary investigation of the specimen did not indicate any conspicuous characteristic of any known disease in fish.”
However, he said, toxicity is a real factor and a very common cause of fish kill and the use of pesticide and herbicide in the floating gardens and gardens around the area cannot be ruled out. “Some of the pesticides and herbicides reportedly used contain chlorpyriphos which is a potent contact poison. The levels of toxic elements in water and biological magnification if any in the food chain needs an elaborate and detailed study which can be taken up with University of Kashmir and SKAUST in due course of time,” he said.
Referring to the observation and preliminary investigation of water quality and site survey, he said, it was observed that water had an odor that may be attributed to the decomposition of specimen at sites though the water clarity and color was normal on May 25 when sampling of site was done.
He said quality and quantity of biological diversity of planktons observed in the sites of the Nishat basin are not affected.
“The Prima facia (investigation) indicates that the fish kill may have occurred on 22-23rd May due to thermal stratification as there was a sudden rise in temperature and humidity after many days of cloud cover and rains.
“Fish kill are often sign of environmental stress which occurs with rapid fluctuation in temperature or sustained high temperatures, generally cooler water has a potential to hold more oxygen so a period of sustained high temperature can lead to decrease in oxygen level in a water body,” he said, adding, “Depleted oxygen levels become the most common cause of fish kill.” A short period of hot weather increases the temperature in the surface layer of water and the warmer water tends to stay near the surface, he said. “If a heavy rain or wind occur the layers can mix thereby mixing of water layers that is greater in high oxygen with the waters having low oxygen and thereby reducing the oxygen levels throughout the water column that leads to fish kill instantly.”
He said S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology has been requested for conducting tests for presence of toxicity in Dal-Nigeen waters in order to ascertain use of pesticides, herbicides, weedicides etc.
Summer Break In HC From June 19
The High Court of J&K and Ladakh will be observing summer vacations from June 19 to July 8, according to an order by Registrar General, Shahzad Azeem on Thursday.
“It is hereby notified that the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh will observe Summer Vacations with effect from 19th of June, 2023 to 8 of July, 2023 (both days inclusive),” reads the order, adding, “The period commencing from 19 day of June to 24th of June, 2023 shall be ‘No Work Period’ for the High Court.”
In terms of Rule 12 of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Rules, 1999, he said, the Chief Justice nominated the Judges for both wings of the Court to be the Vacation Judges to hear all matters of urgent nature for the period.
For Jammu Wing, Justice Rajesh Sekhri will be vacation judge from June 26 to July 1 and Justice Rahul Bharti from July 3 to 8.
Similarly, he said, Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi will be vacation judge from June 26 to July 1 and Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal from 3 July to 8.
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