River and Sea Water Pollution Threatens the Hilsa Species – The Fading Dreams of Astaranga’s Hilsa
Kakatpur: The Astaranga coastal region in Puri district is witnessing increasing industrialization along the shoreline. The discharge of chemical waste from various factories and ports is severely polluting the river and sea waters. As a result, the fish population in both rivers and the sea is rapidly declining.
One major casualty of this environmental degradation is the once-abundant and flavorful Hilsa fish of Astaranga. What was once a common sight during the monsoon season—tons of delicious Hilsa being caught—is now becoming just a memory. Astaranga, once famed for its Hilsa production, now finds the fish nearly extinct in its waters due to water pollution and climate change.
Hilsa fishing, which used to be a thriving industry with exports even outside the state, has now nearly come to a halt. Fishermen report that Hilsa is no longer being caught in their nets. As a result, locals are forced to buy small, chemically preserved Hilsa fish from other states at high prices.
Typically, during the monsoon, millions of Hilsa would swim from the deep sea to the Devi river mouth in Astaranga to lay eggs. They were drawn to this location because of the fresh rainwater mixing with the sea, which created an ideal breeding ground. However, abnormal weather patterns, irregular rainfall, rising sea temperatures, and various human activities have disrupted this natural cycle.
Illegal shrimp farming near the coast, increased industrialization, movement of large mechanical vessels, and blockage of natural water sources have all contributed to the disappearance of Hilsa near the river mouths. Now, during the monsoon, hundreds of fishermen from Astaranga invest lakhs of rupees in preparing their boats and nets, only to return empty-handed and disheartened.
Prasanna Behera, president of the State Traditional Fishermen’s Association, expressed grave concern over the situation. He said that due to the decline in Hilsa production, the livelihoods of fishermen are being severely impacted, pushing them into deep financial distress.
