Mass fish deaths in Delhi's Yamuna raise concerns over water quality

Since Wednesday night, thousands of fish have been found dead along the Yamuna River near Burari, a stretch traditionally considered relatively clean. Witnesses such as conservationist Hemant Garg and boatman Ranjan Mukhia described a foul smell and confirmed that similar fish kills have been reported upstream in Haryana. Experts from SANDRP and other NGOs point to possible discharge of untreated industrial waste from drains in Panipat, Burari and nearby canals, combined with reduced river flow and low dissolved oxygen.

The incident follows a pattern of seasonal fish mortality events, but officials note that water-quality reports for September show rising biochemical oxygen demand and faecal coliform levels far above safe limits. Activist Pankaj Kumar has appealed to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, emphasizing that the river segment also supplies drinking water downstream, posing a direct public-health risk.