Study to be conducted on the quantum of pollution in KRP reservoir: Krishnagiri Collector

Krishnagiri Collector forms team to address high nitrate levels in KRP dam waters for freshwater aquaculture.

In the wake of the report by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture of high concentration of nitrate, nitrite and alkalinity in the KRP dam waters and that it was not ideal for freshwater aquaculture, a team has been constituted to study the quantum of sewage coming into the reservoir and to suggest remedies, said the Krishnagiri Collector K.M. Sarayu.

Speaking to The Hindu on the district administration’s response to the reservoir water quality and if there would be a moratorium on aquaculture, Ms. Sarayu said, a report from the Fisheries Department and the Water Resources and Development Organisation (WRDO) was awaited and would be forwarded to the government. “First, the Fisheries Department will clean up the reservoir of the dead fish and this work started on Tuesday.”

Further, a team has been constituted to understand the source of pollution and the quantum of sewage coming into the reservoir. “We will arrive at solutions from thereon,” she said

The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University had shown nitrate concentration to be 10 times the acceptable range of 1 ppm; nitrite concentration was 0.50 while the acceptable range is 0.25 ppm; total alkalinity of the waters was 600 ppm way above the acceptable range of 40-400 ppm.

The test was carried out on the water samples after a widespread fish kill in the reservoir on Sunday, where tonnes of fish were washed up along the algal bloom in the reservoir.