PONDA: The sudden death of a large number of freshwater fish at Kapileshwari Lake in Kavlem has prompted the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to investigate the possible cause.
GSPCB officials collected water samples from the lake on Monday evening following a request from the Kavlem panchayat. The sampling was carried out by junior engineer Aryada Deshpande and field assistant Roma Khandekar in the presence of panchayat representatives and officials of the Shree Kapileshwar Temple.
Several dead fish were noticed floating in the lake on Saturday, shortly after Ganesh Chaturthi immersion activities. The incident raised concerns among villagers and temple authorities.
Speculation on social media linked the fish deaths to firecrackers allegedly burst in or around the water body. However, officials have not confirmed any such connection. Local residents have also suggested that stagnant water and low dissolved oxygen levels could be possible contributing factors.
GSPCB officials said the exact cause could be determined only after laboratory testing of the collected samples. They also observed that the lake water was not suitable for swimming.
Shree Kapileshwar Temple president Gopakrishna Dhavalikar said he would comment on the issue after the GSPCB submits its findings.
Meanwhile, Kavlem Biodiversity Management Committee president Santosh Tari has called for government guidelines on the colours and materials used for idols that are immersed in water bodies. He said such measures could help reduce the impact of immersion-related activities on aquatic ecosystems.
The GSPCB report is expected to establish whether contamination, oxygen depletion or other factors were responsible for the fish deaths.
