Chennai: Thousands of dead fish were found floating along the Kosasthalaiyar River near Ennore’s Thazhankuppam and Mugathuvarakuppam on Sunday, raising fears among fishermen of possible chemical contamination in the water.While the district administration is yet to ascertain the volume of fish that have died, fishermen said it could well be more than two tonnes. “We found several fish struggling and gasping for breath near the river on Saturday evening. Dead fish were found floating the next day. This has happened several times in the past, but not at this scale, except during the oil spillage in 2023. We suspect chemical discharge into the water from petrochemical industries. A detailed probe is needed into the issue,” said Srinivasan, a fishermen’s leader.Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board chairperson Anurag Mishra ruled out the possibility of an oil spill. “We are lifting samples and will wait for a report from our NABL-accredited lab before deciding on the course of action,” he told TOI, without specifying a deadline for completion of tests.Meanwhile, frustrated fishermen took out a protest along Thazhankuppam main road, seeking redress for all environmental issues in the area. “We are taking steps to dispose of the dead fish. Our livelihood is in question here. Ennore continues to be at the centre of all environmental problems. If fish from these waters continue to drop dead like this, where will we go for catch and who will buy our fish,” S Venkatesh, a resident, asked.A section of fishermen also met MLA N Senthil Kumar and submitted their demands. “The fishermen have collectively decided not to fish in the waters for now. They also submitted a series of demands, seeking a detailed study to address environmental issues surrounding the Kosasthalaiyar in Ennore, and govt jobs in industries for those who have been affected by the industrialisation,” Senthil Kumar told TOI.He further said that a meeting of electricity, fisheries, and environment ministers would be called soon to discuss ways to prevent such incidents in the future.Environmentalists, however, seek immediate steps. “The area is in a state of panic right now. The govt should immediately conduct an inspection and explain to the public through a circular whether to go fishing or not. A lot of lives are at stake here. Forming a committee for this will take days, and by then, the issue may become worse,” said V N Prabhakaran, environmental engineer, Poovulagin Nanbargal.
