A citizen found dead fish in Surabaya River due to industrial waste. (Image via: Ngopibareng)

Paper beats a thousand fishes in Surabaya

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Agriculture& Livestock
Jul 23, 2019
2086
SURABAYA - More reason for mankind to consider going all digital. On Monday (22/7) at 10.00 a.m., people filed a complaint to Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation (Ecoton) regarding a phenomenon of mass death of fishes (ikan munggut) which occurred in Surabaya River that flows between Gresik and Sidoarjo Regencies, East Java, Indonesia.

Operational Director of Ecoton, Amir Udin, stated that the complaints were in since 10.00 a.m., and they piled up until its peak at 11.30 a.m. yesterday.

Udin revealed a shocking fact that the phenomenon was recurrent. In July 2019 alone, the phenomenon has occurred 4 times, in the same Surabaya River that flows between Gresik and Sidoarjo.

Approximately, a thousand fishes died in the river. The sizes of fishes that died in the river also varied from the size of an adult’s palm to the size of an adult’s arm. The kind of fishes found dead in the river ranged from Java barb, Mystus, Nile tilapia, and Hemibragus (a kind of catfish).

There was an allegation that the fishes died due to industrial waste, precisely from a paper industry located nearby the river. Due to the scorching summer, the river's discharge decreased. The allegation, however, was not without foundation.

Having conducted a field inspection, an Ecoton team reported that the phenomenon is not found in the river flowing before the location of the factory. The mass death occurred in the river stream located after the location of the factory.

It is best not to consume the fish, suggested Udin, since the dead fishes have been contaminated with chemical, toxic waste from the paper factory. In other words, the fishes are now carcinogenic and inedible.

Also, he warned the paper factory to control its waste over the river because it approaching the intake local Water Utility (PDAM). Water from Surabaya River has been the raw material of drinking water for people in Surabaya, Gresik, and Sidoarjo Regencies. The effect could be lethal if the unfiltered drinking water got into people’s hands.

Amir Udin said the report had been submitted to the Environment Agency of East Java Province. He hoped that the agency would take action to assist the people to tackle the phenomenon and to sanction the factory should it be proven guilty of the waste.

Source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20190723063947-20-414559/ribuan-ikan-kali-surabaya-mati-diduga-terpapar-limbah-pabrik

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