PANJIM, April 24 -- A casual walk around Mala Lake is enough to understand why hundreds of fish recently turned up dead.

Open drains carrying black, stagnant water, choked with plastic and garbage, can be seen flowing unchecked straight into the lake. In some stretches, sewage pipes appear to empty directly into the water body - an unmissable, unaddressed reality that lays bare the source of contamination.

Despite inspections and official activity following the fish deaths, the most obvious cause of the crisis continues in full public view.

Residents say there is little mystery here - only prolonged neglect.

"The water has been dirty for a long time," said a resident, pointing to the steady inflow of polluted water. The recent deaths,...