Dead Fish in Durgam Cheruvu After Polluted Water Enters Lake, Fishermen Seek ₹20 Lakh Compensation
Surender, along with local fishermen, inspected the lake and said the fish namely rohu, catla and murrel fish, which had grown to around one to three kg, were expected to be harvested and sold next month but had now died.
Hyderabad:Large quantities of fish have died in Durgam Cheruvu in Jubilee Hills, allegedly after polluted water containing chemical and industrial waste entered the waters, Neelam Surender, president of the Raidurgam Fishermen Society, confirmed on Sunday. Fishermen claimed that fish worth lakhs of rupees were lost, leaving several families dependent on fishing in financial distress.
Surender, along with local fishermen, inspected the lake and said the fish namely rohu, catla and murrel fish, which had grown to around one to three kg, were expected to be harvested and sold next month but had now died.
He alleged that wastewater containing industrial waste and chemicals entered the lake from surrounding areas, resulting in the death of a large quantity of fish. He demanded ₹20 lakh compensation for the affected fishing families and said the government should provide insurance coverage for fish stocks lost due to pollution and natural calamities.
Surender also said the existing sewage treatment plants (STP) around the lake did not have the capacity to handle the amount of wastewater flowing into the lake. He urged the government to increase the treatment capacity by 1.5 crore litres and ensure that no sewage and industrial waste entered the lake.
He called for coordinated action by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the irrigation department to protect the lake and prevent further pollution. “If the government fails to take immediate action and compensate the affected fishermen, we will mobilise the fishing community and intensify our protest,” Surender said.