The state fisheries department and the district administration in Jalpaiguri district, in the northern part of West Bengal, are concerned about the mass death of fish in the River Teesta.
Experts speculated that the hundreds of dead fish that have been floating on the riverbank for the past few days could be the result of severe water pollution brought on by the explosive material that the floodwater from the recent flash flood in Sikkim carried.
In order to determine the precise cause of the fish deaths and to recommend corrective action, the state fisheries department has made the decision to dispatch a team of experts to Jalpaiguri.
Following the floods in Sikkim, the explosive materials, such as mortar from various army bases in the state, that were carried by the floodwaters have become a headache for the Jalpaiguri district administration. This is because unexpected explosions of explosive materials on the banks of the Teesta River have resulted in serious injuries and fatalities.
The locals have received a warning from the district administration not to eat dead fish because it poses a serious risk of food poisoning and other health problems.
