Chennai: Environment minister V K Rajeev on Friday told the assembly that industrial effluents were not the reason for the mass fish deaths in the Kosasthalaiyar River at Ennore. “Preliminary findings indicate that the fish deaths were likely triggered by sewage contamination, including human waste,” he said while responding to a special call motion.He further said the state govt had formed a four-member expert committee to investigate the matter. They will submit a detailed report within 10 days, he said. A heated discussion had broken out after opposition leaders raised urgent call-attention motions regarding mass fish deaths in the Kosasthalaiyar River at Ennore. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said industrial effluents had polluted the river. Former minister Thangam Thennarasu stressed the need to declare the Kosasthalaiyar estuary is an eco-sensitive zone to safeguard marine life.PMK MLA Ganeshkumar urged the govt to set up a dedicated commission to protect the ecosystem and take strict action against polluting units.
