Stories
BMC Calls Urgent Meeting After Hundreds Of Fish Die At Mumbai Banganga Tank
- •The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has called a meeting with priests and local residents following the death of hundreds of fish at the historic Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar.
- •Civic officials attribute the recurring fish deaths to the accumulation of food, oil, and ritual offerings during Pitru Paksha, which lowers dissolved oxygen levels.
- •The BMC is stepping up cleaning operations, deploying aeration pumps, and urging priests to help encourage devotees to use designated collection bins instead of immersing offerings.
- •Residents and environmental activists are demanding a permanent solution and better coordination among agencies like the ASI and BMC to protect the heritage site's aquatic ecosystem.
Key Questions Answered
The BMC called a meeting with priests and local residents following the death of hundreds of fish at the historic Banganga Tank in Walkeshwar during Pitru Paksha. The meeting focuses on preventing food, oil, and other ritual materials from entering the freshwater body, which reduces dissolved oxygen and causes fatal pollution.
Civic officials and residents attribute the fish deaths to the accumulation of organic waste, including rice or flour dumplings, sweets, milk, oil, and flowers offered during ancestral rituals. This material increases the organic load as it breaks down, while poured oil forms a surface layer that severely depletes dissolved oxygen levels.
The BMC has stepped up cleaning operations by increasing manpower, removing dead fish and waste, and sending water samples for laboratory testing. Additionally, the civic body has installed a pump for aeration and plans to pump out and refill the tank to improve water quality.
