TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 22 March 08 Ghariyal deaths still remain a mystery
Lucknow: The reason behind the death of more than 100 ghariyals in National Chambal Sanctuary is yet to be traced. But, the impact of the tragedy has certainly mellowed down with time.
Only one carcass has been fished out so far in the month of March. In the past three months, however, some 109 ghariyals have perished with one or two being fished out daily from the affected part of the Chambal river which lies at its confluence with the Yamuna in Etawah district.
"It has something to do with the rising temperature," said Parik[bleep] Gautam, director, freshwater and wetlands programme, WWF-India. Ghariyals are cold-blooded species and winter temperature must have made them more susceptible to the threat. "Since December, January and February were all months of freezing temperatures, tragedy might have aggravated," added Gautam.
But, this does not signal the end of the crisis. The river still has affected ghariyals, but how many and up to what extent is again what experts can not comment on. "We can not rest on the crisis being over," he said.
On the other hand, a 14-member crisis management group that is involved with the unravelling of the mysterious ‘toxin' causing the death, has not been able to figure out the origin, nature and spread of the toxin although it is Yamuna water which is seen as probable cause of Chambal's pollution.
To state the facts, experts are waiting for the toxicity report that has been sent to laboratories all over the country. It has been more than three months since the mass deaths of ghariyals were reported for the first time from Barchauli village in Etawah range of the sanctuary on December 8. At least 16 ghariyal carcasses were dug out from the embankment of the river.
The tragedy assumed national proportions with the ministry of environment and forests walking in, but on ground, things are as vague as ever. Polluted river water and disturbance in food chain are seen as the likely causes of the deaths. However, reports could come up which might reveal a relatively unknown cause.
Ghariyal deaths still remain a mystery