Thousands Of Dead Fish at Subramaniaswamy Temple Tank in Tamil Nadu

Madurai, Sept 09, 2016: Thousands of fish found dead at the Saravana Poigai, the temple tank of Subramaniaswamy Temple at Tirupparankundram in Madurai on Sunday, Sept 4. The temple is also known as Tirupparamkunram Murugan Temple.

The dead fish started floating since Saturday evening and by Sunday morning many of them died forcing the temple authorities to organize workers to remove them. A tainted smell started radiating from the tank, one of five theerthams of the temple.

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The local people suspect that it could be a handiwork of some trouble makers who could have poisoned the water owing to hostility overtaking fishing lease, reported ANI.

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

He also complained that the residents had opposed the temple's move to rent the 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 to ANI.

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.

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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.

Believed by devotees to be one of six homes of Lord Muruga, the tank is spread over an area of about 15 acres and is used by devotees for a ritual bath before the temple visit.

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

– prepared by Arya Sharan of NewsGram