In a massive ecological disaster, a large number of fish were killed in the Beas on Thursday after molasses from a sugar factory leaked into the river.
The presence of molasses, a byproduct in sugar factories used for alcohol production, has affected over 30 km of the river.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha, experts from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and the wildlife department reached the spot to ascertain the cause.
“According to experts, molasses, which leaked from a sugar factory here in Beas, mixed with the river water and reduced the oxygen levels. This led to the death of fish. We have collected samples of the water and will get them tested,” Sangha told the media.
The dead fish were taken out of the river.
Officials said that the molasses, which had turned the color of the river water to brown, was spread in an area of over 30 km.
Amritsar: Several fish in Beas river died after blast in a sugar factory, leaked molasses into a creak which merges with the river. Dy Commissioner says ‘Biochemical oxygen demand(BOD) of water decreased reducing availability of oxygen. Leakage plugged,ordered for closure of mill pic.twitter.com/7OyuwLJ2cl
— ANI (@ANI) 17 May 2018
The PPCB has ordered the shutdown of the sugar factory.