Kendrapada: Hundreds of dead fish were found floating in the Kapiljora river near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district on Sunday morning, prompting officials from Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to visit the site and collect water and fish samples to determine the cause of deaths.Many locals gathered near the river to collect the dead fish, while others alleged that industrial pollution in Paradip was responsible for the incident. However, the OSPCB officials blamed the locals.OSPCB regional officer, Puskar Chandra Behera blamed locals for the incident. “Water contamination has touched worrying levels in the river as large numbers of slum dwellers and locals have been illegally dumping sewage in the creek. Discharging septic waste in the river is rampant among the nearby slum dwellers, and as a result the river water is highly contaminated,” Behera said.“As per our preliminary investigation, the presence of high alkalinity, high ammonia, heavy organic load and the high presence of biological oxygen demand had contributed to the death of the fish in the river,” he added.The lack of oxygen due to pollution could be the main reason behind this incident. Oxygen level in the river was only 2mg per liter as opposed to the required 7mg per litre, Behera said. “The authorities should take stringent measures against those who dump septic and other waste in the creek,” Behera said, adding, “The exact cause of the deaths will be established only after a clinical examination report is received from our laboratory.“