BMC to meet residents, priests after hundreds of fish die in Banganga Tank

The BMC is preparing to discuss measures with local residents and priests after hundreds of fish were found dead in the historic Banganga Tank in Mumbai’s Walkeshwar. The meeting is expected to be held this week as the deaths have become a yearly concern at the water body.

BMC to discuss recurring fish deaths

According to a BMC official, fish deaths have been reported around the same time every year at Ban Ganga tank, which the source says was built in AD 1127. The civic body’s planned discussion will focus on preventing a recurrence and addressing the factors affecting the fish in the tank.

“During Pitru Paksha started from September 26, people who pay homage to their ancestors pour slurry from flour and milk in the water affecting fishes,” said BMC official, adding that this has become an annual problem.

Pitru Paksha ends on October 10. The account links the timing of the fish deaths to material being poured into the water during the period, while the BMC’s awareness effort is also expected to address water pollution and reduced oxygen in the tank.

Similar deaths reported in 2025

A similar issue appeared in 2025, when hundreds of fish were found dead near the shore of the heritage water body. The water body is controlled by the Archaeological Survey of India, or ASI.

At that time, the BMC removed around 10,000 kg of dead fish and floral waste from the site. The scale of that clean-up showed the extent of the recurring problem, although the source does not state whether the current number of dead fish has been assessed.

Meeting to focus on awareness

The Banganga Tank is assumed to have been created by Lord Rama as a tributary of the Ganga, after he shot an arrow into the ground at the site. Its historical and religious significance forms part of the context for the BMC’s plan to involve residents and priests in the discussion.

The meeting will be conducted at the D ward office. The agenda will focus on explaining to priests the importance of protecting the freshwater aquatic ecosystem and the ways to do so.

Last year, the BMC installed collection bins at the site for floral waste and food and initiated cleaning drives. The planned meeting will add a discussion with residents and priests to those earlier measures.

Source: The Hindu