Cuddalore, 25 September, 2005: Fisherfolk from Sonnanchavadi reported a massive fish kill in River Uppanar in the early hours of 24th September. According to witnesses, a lorry in all likelihood from the nearby SIPCOT industrial estate — discharged effluents into the river at around 4 a.m. The effluents were released through a hose pipe near the Poondiankuppam Thonithurai (ferry point). While the fish kill was noticed only by sunrise, fishermen working the river in the earlier hours said their catch was better than usual, leading to speculation that the poisons may have had something to do with the larger fish catch. The effluents reportedly had a strong pesticide odour.
This is the third fish kill since August 2005. The fisherfolk from Sonnanchavadi, in a letter to the District Environmental Engineer and Fisheries Department have expressed their anguish at such criminal incidents. Till date, no investigation has been conducted to identify the culprits. Fisherfolk say that such incidents leave them exposed to health hazards and kills their livelihood. The fisherfolk have requested the departments to take immediate action on the complaint, investigate into the matter and punish the culprit.
Read earlier incident of fish kill here: