Bhubaneswar, April 28 -- A massive fish die-off has been reported in the Batanadi river area of Paradip on Tuesday, triggering concern among locals and raising fresh questions over water pollution in the region.

According to reports, large numbers of fish were found dead and floating on the river surface since late Monday night. Locals passing through the nearby road complained of a strong foul smell emanating from the water body, making it difficult to even move through the area.

This is not an isolated case. Earlier this month, on April 12, a similar fish die-off was reported in the Kapiljor river in Paradip, pointing to a recurring environmental issue in the region.

While the exact cause of the latest incident is yet to be officiall...