MADURAI – Thousands of fish died over last weekend at a Hindu temple in Indian state of Tamil Nadu, prompting the authorities to take water samples and launch a probe into the incident.
The dead fish at Saravana Poigai, the temple tank of Subramaniaswamy Temple in Tirupparankundram suburb of Madurai, started floating since Saturday evening and by Sunday morning.
Many of them died forcing the temple authorities to deploy workers to remove them, the Hindu reported.
Foul smell started emanating from one of the five tanks of the temple. Local people suspect that it could be a handiwork of some miscreants who could have poisoned the water owing to enmity over taking fishing lease.
The tank is the source of groundwater recharge for the surrounding areas.
The Deputy Commissioner and Executive Officer of the temple, K. Chelladurai, said that water samples have been sent for testing. “Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Department of Fisheries have been informed. Only on getting the results of water samples, we can proceed further,” he added.
Chelladurai also complained of unabated usage of soaps and detergents in the tank.
A temple official wanted the Collector’s intervention in safeguarding the temple tank.
