Once a defining landmark of Guwahati, Dighalipukhuri is now sending troubling signals, with dead fish, foul smells and growing signs of a waterbody under stress. For nearly three weeks, fish have been found dead across the pond, with rohu, catla, silver carp, common carp and bighead carp among the species reportedly affected.

Several carcasses are now decomposing in the water, adding to concerns over deteriorating water quality. The dead fish are the latest visible sign of a waterbody that residents say has been steadily losing its sheen.

Garbage, fallen branches and leaves have accumulated in the water, while thick layers of algae can be seen covering portions of the pond. “This has happened before.

Fish die when the oxygen level falls. Besides, wastewater from the toilets and urinals of Prashanti Restaurant and the War Memorial near Dighalipukhuri enters the pond.

These are also polluting the water,” local resident Fatima Gulbadan said. For those who have witnessed Dighalipukhuri over the years, its present condition is a stark contrast to a time when the pond was more actively maintained and used for fish rearing.

“At one point, the Fisheries Department used to produce fish fingerlings here. Fish were reared at Dighalipukhuri and sold as well.

We saw all of that ourselves. The present condition of Dighalipukhuri is heartbreaking.

The Tourism Corporation and Fisheries Department responsible for the pond should take immediate steps to stop the fish deaths,” Gulbadan said. She also recalled efforts by citizens and prominent personalities to preserve the waterbody.

“A few years ago, Zubeen Garg bought turtles worth Rs 40,000 from Hajo and released them in Dighalipukhuri,” she said. Another concern is the reported failure of the water treatment system installed at the pond.

Members of the civic group Reclaim Guwahati, which has voluntarily cleaned Dighalipukhuri for the past two years, said the treatment machines have remained non-functional for several months. “We clean Dighalipukhuri every Sunday.

When we went there on July 19 and August 2, we found two dead fish. We could not go last Sunday because of the rain.

I suspect that the deaths could be due to the intense heat, lack of oxygen or the malfunctioning of the water treatment machines,” Reclaim Guwahati member Prananjay Das said. “But the machines have reportedly been non-functional for several months now,” he said.