Workers repair the ruptured pipeline at the PPL fertiliser plant site in Paradip. Telegraph picture

Paradip, May 29: Cracks in the gypsum pipeline at the Paradip Phosphate Limited (PPL) fertiliser plant complex, which has led to acidic discharge affecting the aquatic life, especially fishes, in the nearby water bodies, have been plugged.

Marine wing of the state fisheries department today conducted assessment to ascertain the cause and extent of damage caused to the aquatic lives.

Rabi Narayan Pattnaik, assistant director of fisheries (marine), said: “Water bodies in some patches have come under toxin effect following effluents released into it. The death of fishes and other aquatic species is not on a larger scale as it is being alleged.”

However, the local fishermen communities differed from the version.

“There are marked signs of asphyxiation on the dead fishes. They died with their mouths wide opened up. Besides, burning spots on the species following acidic impact are too glaring to escape notice,” said Sankhanad Behera, an environmentalist.

“Fishermen are shattered. Death has been on a large scale. Fish catch is bound to come down considerably,” said Jiban Lal Behera, Jagatsinghpur district unit chief of the Odisha Traditional Fishermen Association.

“From time to time, this phenomenon of en masse dying of fish is being reported. Effluents from the nearby fertiliser plants have become the messenger of death for fishes and aquatic animals in the water channels and creeks near Paradip,” he said.

“Earlier, we had drawn the attention of local officials. But, the fishermen community’s plight remains the same,” Behera said. The fishermen say they are paying the price of pollution.

Water bodies and creeks located near the plant are littered with dead aquatic species, mainly fishes.