The fish kill in March 2018 and after

We used to welcome the rain but now we dread the dark clouds. The sewerage system outside the lake is a combined one and even a drizzle can cause rain water to mix with the sewage, overflow from the manhole and enter the lake. It did on 15th March and triggered the fish kill in our lake. 

Sewage entered the lake from three places in March - Nataraja Layout; 1st Cross, Aradhana Layout and from the chamber beside the wall of MLR Convention Centre. In the name of beautifying their entrance, the newly constructed Samskruthi Brindavana laid a garden and buried the manhole cover. 

Another reason for the fish to die was because the fisherman released more fingerlings into the lake on 9th Feb. even though the water level was falling fast due to evaporation. He ended up losing all of them (see pic). He does nothing to help us maintain the lake but was quick to blame us for his fish dying due to the sewage. We have updated the Fisheries Dept. and sought to know what measures they take to ensure the quality of the water in the lake to which they have given the fishing rights to a contractor.  

The rain in the evening of 2nd April once again brought sewage into lake. Yet again, we called the local office of BWSSB and early on 3rd morning, they cleared the block in the drain at Nataraja Layout with a jetting machine. However, the drain in 1st Cross, Aradhana Layout dead ends into the chamber. It does not need the rain to overflow. Hence, even after 15th March, sewage from this point has been steadily flowing into the lake. In a matter of days, it has completely undone our work of several years. 

Coracles filled with dead fish

The photo on 1st March below, shows the pristine wetland, the aquatic bio-filter zone, pinnacle of our endeavour. By 24th March, the water was dotted with dead fish and the grill packed with trash. Sewage from Aradhana Layout continues to flow and made the wetland a cesspool by 3rd April. 

Wetland, 1st March 2018

Wetland 24th March 2018

Sewage inflow from Aradhana Layout, 26th March 2018

Cesspool wetland, 3rd April 2018

There are no more fishes to die in our lake.  If sewage continues to flow in, the lake will die too. We have written to BWSSB. We'll update you on the actions they take to protect the lake, to ensure that sewage never again enters the lake. Sewage is not slow poison but a swift decimation not just of the fish but of the lake itself. 

Yet, in hope, 

Usha

When fish die

The fish in our lake do not belong to us. They are Yellappa's, the fisherman who has got the fishing contract from the Fisheries Dept. Nevertheless, we began to worry about the fish as soon as summer started. The water level was dropping alarmingly. We worried that the evaporation would deplete dissolved oxygen in the water. How then will the fish survive? Another new concern was the sudden rain. You might well ask why the concern when it will bring up the water level? True and it did but the sudden inflow also affected the temperature of the water. Even subtle changes would have a huge impact on the fish. This is why they need to be introduced very gradually into an aquarium. To add to our worry, a sewage chamber collapsed on Sat. 17 March. As soon as we got to know this, we contacted BWSSB. Within a couple of hours, they repaired the chamber. But how much sewage had entered the lake by then and how much damage had been done to the water?

Sewage chamber overflowing, 17th March 2018

Yesterday morning we saw several dead fish in the water. Today their number is more. Yellappa says he lost about 1000 kgs of fish. Since each one is big and heavy, the number may not seem high but the death of even a fingerling hurts us. 

Dead fish, 19th March 2018

According to the Fisheries dept, the only preventive measure is to install an aerator and increase the DO. We shall do that as well and hope that we never see a dead fish in the lake ever again! It traumatises us no end!

Best

Usha