Locals living around Mushki Cheruvu in Manikonda have been troubled by a foul smell and the sight of dead fish in the lake. They suspect that sewage water may be entering the lake, causing the fish to die. The situation has worsened in the past few days as the dead fish continue to decay after heavy rainfall.
The Telangana Pollution Control Board has been urged to test the water samples to determine the cause of the fish deaths. Some residents have reported finding dead fish floating in the lake as well as washed ashore. The locals have raised concerns about the lack of action taken by authorities despite repeated complaints about sewage entering the lake.
One resident, Mahesh, pointed out that the lake used to be a source of livelihood for fishermen and blamed the depletion of oxygen levels for the fish deaths. Another resident, Gowtham, highlighted the negligence of officials in maintaining the lake and preventing sewage from flowing into it.
Madhulika Chowdhary, founder of Dhruvansh, an NGO working to protect the lake, noted that the lake had previously received clean water but is now polluted due to sewage inflow and illegal encroachment. She also expressed worries about the lake’s reduced capacity due to breaches in its weir by the irrigation department.
