Toxic water affects fishes in Sessa river

FROM A CORRESPONDENT
TINSUKIA, Sept 2:  The Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited's (BCPL) refutation on the alleged water pollution in Sessa River appears to be a mere eye wash as fish fau in particular had been badly affected by the pollutants discharged from the plant during past one and a half year. The inputs received from prime fish market of Daily Bazar in Tinsukia revealed that, traders of late stopped selling fishes from Sessa River which otherwise fetched very high prices for its famous Pabta (Ompokbimaculatus) and Chital (Notopteruschitala). These fishes, according to traders and consumers, have developed distasteful kerosene like odor with changes in the skin colorations and brightness. As most of the fish traders had refused to sell Sessa fish in the main market, the vendors from Dibrugarh sell these fishes in the outskirts of Tinsukia town even as quantity had dwindled from few quintals to mere 40-50 kg in an average that often surface in retail markets currently. After complains being poured from different quarters, a chemical research laboratory of repute carried out a 'prelimiry' water sampling alysis of Sessa River that contained effluent of BCPL plant and detected contamints of high proportions, told a scientist, on  condition of anonymity.