Thousands of fish die at temple tank

Thousands of fish died at Saravana Poigai, the temple tank of Subramaniaswamy Temple at Tirupparankundram here on Sunday.

The dead fish started floating since Saturday evening and by Sunday morning many of them died forcing the temple authorities to deploy workers to remove them.

Foul smell started emanating from the tank, one of five theerthams of the temple. Local people suspect that it could be a handiwork of some miscreants who could have poisoned the water owing to enmity over taking fishing lease.

‘A similar incident happened a couple of years ago at the Thenkal tank here when fish died due to suspected poisoning,’ said P. Mahamuni, town secretary of Communist Party of India.

He complained that the residents had opposed the temple’s move to lease fishing rights through auctioning which was held in 2015.

‘We knew that such sabotage could happen. But the temple authorities did not heed to our plea,’ he complained.

He wanted the temple administration to probe into the issues and get to the bottom of the issue. The tank is the source of groundwater recharge for the surrounding areas, Mr. Mahamuni said.

However, the Deputy Commissioner and Executive Officer of the temple, K. Chelladurai, said that water samples have been sent for testing. ‘Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Department of Fisheries have been informed. Only on getting the results of water samples, we can proceed further,’ he said.

Mr. Chelladurai also complained of unabated usage of soaps and detergents in the tank.

The annual fishing rights in the tank of the temple, one of six abodes of Lord Muruga, was given for Rs. 47,000, he added.

A temple source wanted the Collector’s intervention in safeguarding the temple tank.