SRINAGAR, Aug 5: Fisheries Department in Kashmir has reprimanded at least nine of its employees after thousands of fish died in Nigeen lake as a result of pollution in the famous water body, one of the main attractions for tourists in Kashmir.

The Fisheries Department while expressing its regret on sudden mortality of fish Lake due to depletion of oxygen and fluctuation of temperature in the Nigeen Lake has assured that the department will take required precautionary measures for their protection.

“This happens when a water body is loaded with high quantity of nutrients along with flow of large quantity of untreated sewage, the growth of macrophytes is accordingly very high,” a statement of Fisheries Department said.

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Officials said that the worst hit fish in the lake is the Himalayan region’s Kashmir carp.

They further said that when in summer high temperature spell continues, the oxidation of nutrients is also very high and brisk resulting depletion of oxygen levels in lake. Secondly due to sudden fall in temperature some adverse effect must have been caused on the fish life, they said.

Authorities have attached at least nine of its officials after the incident. “We have full time employees posted at the Lake, but we got the news from media organisations. They are lucky that they have not been suspended,” Director Fisheries, Dr Showkat Ali was quoted as saying by local media.

Both Nigeen and Dal lake have excessively high levels of toxic metals due to sewage and waste and is a serious health hazard for thousands of people who depend on it for their livelihood, experts warn.

Officials said that tests of water samples collected at the lake showed a high presence of metals like iron, manganese, copper, lead, cadmium and arsenic.

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