Mass killing of fish: After two years, Periyar fishermen await compensation

Dead fish found floating on the Periyar River in Ernakulam, Kerala on May 21, 2024. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Two years after a massive fish kill occurred along the Periyar river along the Eloor-Edayar industrial stretch in Ernakulam, fishermen are yet to be compensated for the heavy losses they suffered.

Dead fish were found floating on a large scale on 21 May 2024 near Pathalam barrage and downstream following a suspected leakage of sewage from industrial units. The Fisheries Department has recommended compensation of about ₹ 13.75 crore — ₹ 7 crore for cage breeders and ₹ 6.75 crore for fishermen who make a living by fishing in the river and its associated water bodies.

A people’s report prepared by representatives of local residents and environmental activists and mass-killing experts estimated a loss of ₹31.25 million to cage fish farmers and ₹10.6 million to fisheries in the six months following the incident.

“We have filed several applications before various authorities highlighting our crisis since the incident. But we have not received any compensation yet though the loss was huge,” said Swapnalal, a fish cage farmer in Varapuz. “When the tragedy struck, I had put about 1,200 varieties of kalanji and 600 varieties of karimeen in each cage. Many of us had taken loans for cage farming and the mass killing of fish resulted in a huge financial burden,” he said.

NGT recommends steps to prevent fish kills in Periyar

Fishermen have urged the government to consider extending proper compensation to fishermen as their daily income has been hit by the contamination of the river. Charles George, state president of Kerala Matsyathozhilali Aikyavedhi (TUCI), said the loss suffered by fishermen following the massive fish kill along the industrial stretch was more than the amount estimated by the fisheries department. “We have again raised the issue with the government,” he said.

Purushan Eloor, spokesperson of the Periyar Malineekarana Virudha Samithi, said the authorities have yet to implement key recommendations of the committees that looked into the mass fish killing. “It included a proposal to establish a dyke wall (embankment) with a footpath along the Eloor-Edayar industrial stretch of the Periyar river to improve pollution control.

Senior officials of the district administration said they have submitted reports on the economic impact of the fish kill on fishermen to the government and a decision on financial compensation is still pending.

Published – 16 Jul 2026 14:22 IST