MAWKYRWAT: The Ranikor circle of the Khasi Students’ Union has reiterated its demand for an independent probe into the mystery of dead fish in the Kynshi river in South West Khasi Hills.
The demand comes after thousands of dead fish and other aquatic animals were found floating on the river in Ranikor. This is the second such incident this year.
Members of the KSU Ranikor Circle and officials from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) visited the site on Tuesday and collected separate water samples from the Kynshi and the Rilang as well as a mixed sample from the rivers.
The union, which is convinced that the aquatic life is being affected by the uranium radiation emanating from the uncovered drilling holes at Porkut, said it would accept only the findings of an independent inquiry team.
“We appreciate the work of MSPCB officials who visited this river every time to find out the truth but we cannot accept that the cause of death was due to coal mining and we will continue to demand probe by an independent body,” Ranikor Circle president Marconi Thongni said.
Thongni said MSPCB does not have the facilities to test the presence of uranium in water.
“How can we accept (the result) when MSPCB does not have the facilities to test the presence of uranium in water? The worst is that MSPCB cannot confirm whether the dead fish are fit or not for consumption,” he added.
Thongni’s statement was confirmed by the MSPCB officials who came to collect the samples. “It is true that we are not being able to test the presence of uranium in the water,” the official said.
Dead fish in markets
The stream from Thwei Liam till Mawpyllun bordering Bangladesh has become a problem for locals because of the foul smell of the dead fish.
Locals at Rilang village said fish started dying on March 31 after the rain and it continued till April 2. However, some fish were found alive on Tuesday. Dead fish could be seen from Thwei Liam downstream to the Kynshi but not in the Rilang river, the villagers informed.
What is alarming is that people are no more scared to consume the dead or nearly dead fish. “In the last 4-5 years, we never ate those because we were afraid that it might affect our health, but today people catch nearly dead fishes, dry them and supply to nearby markets,” said a local in Ranikor.
Thongni too was concerned over the supply of the dead fish to markets at Nongjri, Mawpyllun, Balat and even to West Khasi Hills. The KSU circle has requested villagers and the district administration to check the practice of eating dead fish from the river.
