River turned black in Arunachal Pradesh, lakhs of fish dies; Residents blames China
On Saturday, a river in Arunachal Pradesh turned black, killing lakhs of fish, according to reports. Officials have cautioned residents not to eat the fish seen floating on the surface of the Kameng river.
The high amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) has been cited by district officials as the cause of the river’s blackening in the East Kameng district.
TDS causes respiratory problems for aquatic creatures, according to district fisheries officials. According to the officials, the fish under the water are also suffering from diminished visibility due to the high levels of TDS.
According to District Fisheries Development Officer (DFDO) Hali Tajo, the TDS in the Kameng river was 6,800 mg per liter, substantially higher above the typical range of 300-1,200 mg per liter.
Meanwhile, locals of Seppa village, where the tragedy occurred, have accused China, stating that the TDS level rose dangerously high as a result of China’s building activity over the border
Seppa East MLA Tapuk Taku expressed concern, saying that this incident had never occurred in the Kameng river. Taku urged the state government to appoint an expert committee to investigate the cause of the abrupt change in the colour of the Kameng river’s water and the death of a large number of fish.
Ninong Ering, a Congress MP from Arunachal Pradesh, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting his help, stating that the problem was caused by China’s construction of a 10,000-kilometer tunnel in the Taklamakan desert that diverted water from Siang to Xinjiang province.
