AGARTALA, September 3 (TIWN): A report of Bio Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the pond water at Kalyansagar Lake, holy waterbody of Tripurasundari Temple, one of the 51 Hindu Shaktipithas of the country, indicated shortage of oxygen in the water, Minister for Science, Technology and Environment Bijta Nath said today.

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by MLA Pranajit Singha Roy at the assembly, the minister said that experts had collected water samples from Kalyansagar lake on June 27. The test reports, that arrived recently, indicated higher oxygen demands in the waterbody which shows depletion of the normal oxygen balance in water.

She said that an expert team collected water samples from Kalyansagar lake on August 27 after reports of large-scale death of fishes in the waterbody. The test results indicated way higher BOD levels in the pond water, science and technology minister Nath claimed. She further said that samples of dead fishes were tested at the govt fisheries college at Lembucherra.

The minister today tried to wash hands off the issue by blaming the state pollution control board for lapses in periodic monitoring of BOD levels in the lake. “This is imperative that the pollution control board tests water pollution levels in all major waterbodies of the state on periodic basis”, she said.

A total of 360 fishes have died at the pond till date according to official records.

A recent meeting of the Tripurasundari temple management committee recently resolved to purchase ten aerators to replenish oxygen levels for the pond animals.