Threat to aquatic life in rivers

There is big threat to aquatics in rivers. Water pollution in the rivers has reached at an alarming point as it has now started affecting aquatic life. Due to heavy pollution in Ganga and Yamuna number of species of aquatics is on fast depletion. Besides, the fishes are falling prey to tumour and other serious diseases.

The consumption of these fishes can cause cancer in human beings said the director of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) Dr Kailash Chandra.

Chandra said that during the past two decades almost all the rivers including Ganga and Yamuna have become highly polluted and several species of aquatics were depleted in the rivers during this period while several others were on the verge of extinction in these rivers. The species of frogs, ducks, tortoise, White- bladed heron were the worst affected Chandra said.

Earlier there used to be more than three hundred aquatic species in these rivers but at present there are only two hundred species left. Out of which many were in the first stage of extinction, a study revealed.

The study further revealed that out of total number of 683 aquatics found in the Indian rivers 76 species of aquatics were completely depleted and about 209 were expected to get extinct within next one or two years.

The extinction of aquatics would create environmental imbalances.

In order to protect aquatics the scientists at the ZSI were making efforts to create species of insects which would help in destroying the plastic waste and the plants to check the water so that the aquatics could be saved.