>> Investigation begins on Tra Khuc River fish deaths
Authorities of Quang Ngai Province have come to an initial conclusion on the reasons behind the massive fish deaths on Tra Khuc River.
Abundant amount of dead fish on Tra Khuc River
On May 6, the Department of Natural Resources & Environment of Quang Ngai Province attended a meeting revealing initial results after 2 days working with the Quang Ngai Sugar Company investigating the scene.
The initial results revealed that inspectors from the Department of Natural Resources & Environment of Quang Ngai Province, provincial Bureau of Environment Protection and Environment Police of Quang Ngai Province’s Public Security, found that untreated poisonous wastewater was released into the river by the alcohol factory.
According to the provincial Bureau of Environmental Protection, samples taken from the polluted water of the river in the area where the fish deaths occurred resulted in dissolved oxygen levels of 2.9-3.8 mg/litre. Dissolved oxygen levels in water samplse taken from a part of the river where the alcohol factory discharged their waste is 1.2-2.9 mg/litre. Essential levels for the survival of fish living in the water need to be more than 5 mg/litre.
Thus, fish died because untreated wastewater polluted the river’s water and fish did not have enough essential dissolved oxygen to survive. The alcohol factory of Quang Ngai Sugar Company is considered the main culprit.
Authorities also discovered that the company placed many underground pipes to release wastewater into the river on the other side of Tra Khuc River. Their wrongful actions were uncovered a long time ago, they were warned and penalised, yet, they continued their actions.
