DERA GHAZI KHAN: The Fisheries department staff have found a large number of dead fish from the pond area of the river Indus between DG Khan and Taunsa.

A fisheries official said some samples had been sent for clinical examination to determine the cause of death.

It is alleged that some contractors use toxic material which makes the fish dormant and easy to net.

Head of local Fisheries department Shaheen Sahib, however, ruled out any such possibility and said the fish might have died from extreme cold. He said use of any chemical to catch fish was strictly prohibited as it carried three years imprisonment with Rs50,000 fine.

The fisheries department leases the pond area to contractors who catch and market the fish.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2020