Zubair Qureshi
Chief Commissioner and Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawahas taken notice of the media reports regarding increase in fish mortality in Rawal Dam.
The Chief Commissioner directed a team to visit the Rawal Dam and probe into the matter.
The inspection team led by DrZaigham Abbas, Director (Lab), and Ashiq Nawaz, director (EIA/Mont), collected water samples from Kashmir Chowk Point, Diplomatic Enclave near Lake View Point, AQ Khan Road Korang Point, centre of the dam and the spillway point.
The samples have been sent to the Environment Protection Department, the Punjab Fisheries Department and the Fisheries Research Institute of NARC, Islamabad to ascertain the actual facts of the mortality of fish. These three departments would submit their reports within two days.
The matter was highlighted in the media and the CDA woke up from the deep slumber after videos showing plenty of dead fish floating on the water of the Rawal Dam in the last week of July.
The dead fish were discovered along the dam’s banks. While the cause of death has not been determined officially, local persons attributed it to potential factors such as low water level, drought and heat wave.
According to a spokesperson of the Authority, the dead fish has been removed. However, the CDA is yet to clear the dam of the boat mafia and illegal fishing completely.
The official further held that CDA has initiated the process and invited expression of interest for sewerage treatment plants upstream to address the issue on the permanent basis and prevent the contamination of water, an everlasting solution of this chronic issue.
The occurrence of fish mortality is closely being monitored and reported by the Watch and Ward Staff deputed at the dam.
According to authorities, apparently, less water and oxygen was the reason behind the death of fish, a problem which was likely to be sorted following forecasts of more rain which would increase the water level.
In 2017 too, a similar incident occurred in which thousands of fish had died in the dam allegedly due to poisoned water. The police had registered a first information report (FIR) following claims that poison had been mixed in the water deliberately by someone to settle scores.
Besides, the civic authorities are yet to plant sewage treatment plants to treat wastewater before it enters the reservoir.
