The "Ides of March," 15th March, is historically important because that was the day Julius Ceasar was assassinated. This day became important for us from 2018 because of the heavy downpour that evening which had led to sewage entering the lake and in turn led to a massive fish kill. It was a catastrophe that is imprinted in our minds. We stepped up our effort to improve the quality of the water and are in the process of installing a fountain as aerator. Our alarm bells began to ring when we heard that Yellappa the licensed fisherman at our lake wanted to release fingerlings.
In this heat? Will they survive? When the water level is falling drastically and many lakes are almost dry? But perhaps he knew better, we thought, because commercial fishing is his livelihood.
Day before yesterday, 12th March, Yellappa's men released fingerlings, a few hundreds, late in the evening. Yesterday morning walkers at the lake called to report that fish was dying at the lake. When questioned, Yellappa coolly replied that it was just a trial. The Fisheries Department had issued an advisory against releasing fingerlings in this period. He had wanted to take a chance and gone against this advisory.
By the time his men came to remove the dead fish, our gardeners could not bear the sight and had taken out more than half a crate of dead fingerlings. Today morning some are still seen floating in the water. Small ones in hundreds. Dead for no fault of theirs.
Is there no end to man's greed?
Usha
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