Hundreds of fish die in Banganga Tank at Malabar Hill, rotting pind daan offerings blamed
Residents say food offered during rituals rotted on the bed of the heritage tank in south Mumbai, cutting oxygen in the water and killing the fish.
Hundreds of fish have died in the Banganga Tank at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai. The tank is historic and mythological, and has heritage status. Large numbers of dead fish were seen floating on the water, causing alarm in the area.
Local residents have alleged directly that the religious rituals and pind daan regularly performed at the tank have fouled the water badly and that this killed the fish. There is strong anger among people living nearby, and serious questions are being raised about the civic body's functioning.
The Banganga Tank has a special place in the city's cultural and religious life. Hundreds of devotees come here every day to perform pitrakarya, shraddha and pind daan. During these rituals, balls of flour, rice, sesame and other food items are immersed in the tank. These items have settled on the bed and rotted on a large scale. Because of this organic matter, the oxygen level in the water has fallen to a dangerous level.
As soon as dead fish appeared on the water, local people came forward on their own, got into the water and began cleaning it. They collected the dead fish and brought them to the edge, and within a short time several large plastic crates were filled to the brim with them. Unrotted flour balls and layer upon layer of food items were also pulled out from below the water. People fear that if the dead fish are not removed in time, a strong stench will spread in the area and diseases could follow.
Citizens allege that the health and water conservation department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is not paying full attention to the upkeep of this historic site. People say that while respecting the religious sentiments of devotees, it is essential to protect the tank's biodiversity.
Demands are being made for separate artificial kunds to be built outside the tank for religious rituals and pind daan. There are also demands for a strict ban on putting food items and nirmalya into the main body of the tank, and for fines on those who break the rules.
