Mumbai: BMC Removes 10,000 Kg Of Dead Fish & Waste From Banganga Tank After Pitru Paksha Rituals

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed nearly 10,000 kg of dead fish and ritual waste from the historic Banganga Tank at Malabar Hill following the conclusion of Pitru Paksha rituals, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The mass fish deaths were first noticed on Sunday, September 21, when devotees began offering flowers, food and other items as part of the fortnight-long ritual. Civic authorities said that the immersion of floral and organic material reduced oxygen levels in the water, leading to large-scale fish mortality.

“We collected over 6,000 kg of waste on Sunday itself, followed by 2,000 kg each on Monday and Tuesday. The material included dead fish, floral offerings, plastic, and other organic waste,” a senior BMC official confirmed, as quoted by the Indian Express. Waste was hauled away in seven dumper trucks. Water samples have been sent for laboratory testing to rule out any chemical contamination.

To address the immediate crisis, BMC has installed aerators and dewatering pumps to infuse oxygen and pump fresh water into the tank. “The steps are precautionary, aimed at stabilising water quality and preventing further deaths,” the official added. Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Fisheries Department and Taraporewala Aquarium also inspected the site on Tuesday.

Banganga Tank, a 12th-century fresh-water stepped reservoir, is a heritage site managed by the GSB Temple Trust and home to more than 220 species of fish. However, mass fish deaths during religious immersions have become a recurring issue.

Activists Demand Artificial Ponds To Prevent Annual Fish Deaths

Following the mass death of fish at the historic Banganga tank in Walkeshwar during Pitru Paksha rituals, activists have urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to adopt preventive measures, including the creation of artificial ponds, to ensure the ecological survival of the water body.

Sneha Visariya, founder trustee of Just Smile Charitable Trust, strongly voiced the need for change. “The puja materials should be banned from entering the water and should be immersed in artificial ponds, from which only the water can be released into the tank. This will also give devotees a sense of ritualistic fulfilment. We are killing living beings in the name of religion, and this should be stopped,” she said.

Visariya also recalled her past efforts after a similar incident in 2022. She had taken samples of dead fish to Parel Veterinary Hospital for post-mortem. The hospital’s report, she claimed, confirmed contaminated water as the cause of death, strengthening the case for immediate intervention.

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