India, Sept. 24 -- Two days after devotees performed rituals for their ancestors at Banganga Tank, a large quantity of dead fishes was seen floating on the water, with BMC cleaners picking them up one by one and chucking them into crates. The rituals were performed on Sunday on the occasion of Sarva Pitru Amavasya, and food, hair, flowers and fruit were immersed in the water.

"On Monday, the deaths were not as rampant, as the rains provided the fish with some amount of oxygen from the fresh water," said Rajesh Pardeshi, a resident of Banganga. "But on Tuesday, all were seen gasping for oxygen at the edges of the tank from where fresh water enters, mainly at Gaumukh, the primary inlet of sweet water."

Rohit Joshi, founder of Yeoor Enviro...