Following a distressing incident of hundreds of fish succumbing to chemically contaminated water along the shores of Airoli Creek on Monday, April 22, officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) sprang into action. On April 23, they visited the site to assess the situation first-hand.

Accompanied by GS Patil, Thane District President of the All Maharashtra Fishermen Action Committee, Deputy Regional Officer Jayant Kadam, Field Officer Sachin Adkar, along with concerned villagers led by Dinanath Patil, convened at the affected area for inspection.

In a bid to ascertain the cause of the fish deaths, samples of water from the contaminated site were promptly collected and dispatched to the experimental school for detailed analysis. Deputy Regional Officer Jayant Kadam affirmed that conclusive findings regarding the cause of the incident would be drawn post the examination of these samples.

Moreover, in light of the immersion of Ganapati and Goddess idols in the same water body, authorities have committed to conducting a thorough investigation into any potential connections between the religious practices and environmental degradation.

The incident has reignited concerns over the unchecked discharge of industrial sewage into Navi Mumbai's waterways, exacerbating pollution levels and posing a threat to marine life. Immediate steps are anticipated to mitigate further harm and safeguard the ecological balance of the region.