Residents allege illegal catfish farming in ponds along Patalganga in Khalapur, seek inspection
Locals in Raigad's Khalapur taluka say the ponds foul the water and air, and want officials to inspect them and take water samples.
Rasayani: Industrial pollution in the Patalganga river area of Khalapur taluka in Raigad district is already a serious problem. Complaints that illegal magur (catfish) farming is allegedly being carried on in some ponds along the river have now raised the question of water pollution again.
Local residents allege that magur is being reared in some ponds in Mahad, Dhamani, Paundh, Kopri and Chambharli areas. These are allegations, and they await an inquiry by the administration.
Residents say large quantities of feed are put in for the fish. The feed that is left over keeps rotting in the pond water. This is lowering the water quality and spreading a stench. In some places, it is also alleged that the foul water is released into the river after a certain time.
According to local residents, leftover waste from poultry is given to the catfish as feed. The complaint is that the stench worsens as this feed rots in the ponds. Residents also say that dead fish are burnt in some places instead of being disposed of properly. For this reason, the stench is being felt around Mahad village, the Devasthan area, Khalapur and the Savroli bridge.
Residents demand that the tehsildar, the fisheries department and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board jointly inspect these ponds at once and take water samples. They also want the necessary steps taken to stop the stench around the ponds and to prevent possible pollution. The demand is gaining strength in the area.
Residents say the administration should visit the spot, investigate the allegations and bring out the truth. For now, people are watching what action the administration takes after inspecting the site.
On the issue of pollution of the Patalganga river, Rakesh Kharade, Konkan divisional president of the Maharashtra State Journalists' Association, has been in continuous talks with the government and the departments concerned under the Patalganga Bachao campaign. Against this background, it is necessary for the administration to investigate the alleged catfish farming in the riverside ponds in depth and to check whether pond water is released into the river.
Residents demand that, along with stopping pollution of the river, immediate attention also be paid to the possible pollution from the ponds on its banks.
