Mystery sur rounds the death of fish in the Kapileshwar Tem ple Tank, where hundreds of Ganesh idols are im mersed every year, af ter dead fish were found floating in the water for the first time. The Pollu tion Control Board (PCB) on Monday evening col lected water samples from various parts of the tank following concerns raised by locals and the Kavlem Panchayat. Whether the fish deaths were caused by mischief involving firework explo sives being detonated in the water, colours used on immersed idols, or stag nant water will be known only after laboratory tests by the PCB. The incident was report ed five days after Ganesh idol immersion on Sep tember 18, with dead fish beginning to float in the tank from September 19. On Monday morning, Ka vlem Panchayat Sarpanch Manuja Naik, Deputy Sar panch Sushant Kapilesh warkar and the Panchayat Secretary inspected the tank and undertook a cleaning operation.
Around 50 dead fish found floating in the water were removed and disposed of. While several small sized fish were found dead, a few larger fish and tortoises were surprising ly still alive in the water. PCB officials Aryata Deshpande, junior engi neer, and Roma Khandekar, assistant staff, collected water samples from var ious corners of the tank on Monday evening. They said the exact reason for the fish deaths would be known only after the sam ples were tested. Locals also criticised a teacher for coming with children to clean the pol luted tank despite reports about the pollution. Kapileshwar Devasthan president Devendra Dhav likar said the exact reason for the fish deaths would be known only after the PCB submits its report. “Every year idols are im mersed but first time fish found dead,” he said. Dhavlikar said youths regularly swim in the tank, but any decision on banning swimming would be taken only after the PCB report. Asked about the possible reason for the deaths, he said, according to information provided by locals, it could be mis chief by some people who may have thrown fire work explosives into the water. “Further some people feels it may be due to col ours used on idols, thirdly this year it was low rain fall and stagnated water in Tank was not released out properly,” he said.
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Kavlem Deputy Sar panch Sushant Kapilesh warkar said there are plans to adopt safety measures around the tank. Kavlem Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) chairman Santosh Tari said there were three possibilities, including a firework blast in the wa ter. He said synthetic col ours used on idols could also be a reason, while stagnant water was anoth er possibility. Tari said there was a need for a government policy on eco-friendly celebrations, particularly regarding colours used on idols and a ban on high-in tensity fireworks that cause major sound and air pollution.
He urged people to cel ebrate in an eco-friendly manner to protect water bodies. He said he had also con tacted an ICAR scientist to conduct research on the water and the scientist had agreed to visit the site on Tuesday. The Kapileshwar Tank is located around two kilo metres from Ponda city. Around 300 idols are im mersed in the tank every year, including idols of the two Sarvajanik Ganeshot sav Mandals, as Ponda city and the PMC lack proper water bodies for immer sion. The tank is also known for swimming competi tions, while youths regu larly swim in its waters. However, the death of fish has now raised a question mark over the safety of using the tank for swim ming.
