GUWAHATI, July 18 - Here is yet another report confirming the death of fishes in the Deepor Beel, the lone Ramsar Site wetland of the State, due to contamination of its water by the toxic materials that find their way into the water from the municipal solid waste (MSW) dumped by the authorities on its fringe area at Paschim Boragaon.
The report submitted by the Fishery Extension Officer of the Chayani Borduar Development Block of Kamrup District on October 19 last year, was made available by the fisheries department to RTI-cum-environment activist Rohit Choudhury in response to an RTI application recently.
The report states, �The contamination of water of the beel is mainly due to leakage of the toxic water from the dumping ground. Thus, if we can stop this leakage, we can stop the contamination of water in the beel and save the aquatic life.�
The Fishery Extension Officer said that he had �specifically� seen �catla, rohu and borali dying in the beel, floating lifeless in its waters.�
�It so happens that, the water from the dumping ground leaks into the Deepor Beel, that results in the contamination of its water, growing algae blooms which ultimately have a toxic effect for the aquatic animals in the beels, e.g., the fishes and kills them,� said the Fishery Extension Officer.
The Deepor Beel has an enormous reserve of flora and fauna. Among its flora, mircrophytes, macrophytes, aquatic weeds, algae, plankton are found sufficiently. Among its fauna, minor carps (that is puthi, dorikona, bata, lachim-bhangan etc), Indian major carps (that is, catla, rahu, mrigal), exotic carps and tortoise are found.
Besides these, chital, kanduli, borali, sal, sol, magur, singhi, amphibians, reptiles and avifauna are found. Many of its avifauna are migratory. Among the land fauna elephants, wild cats, porcupines are found, said the Fishery Extension Officer.
