The government is suing 12 factories accused of polluting Mandalay’s Taungthaman Lake, after pictures of dead fish clogging the shores spread rapidly on social media last month.
The lake, which scores of tourists cross every day visiting the world’s longest teak bridge, is one of the country’s most photographed spots.
But those who spent time at the lake in mid-April this year would have been greeted by a far less picturesque sight: innumerable masses of dead fish.
The carnage was blamed on local businesses allowing their waste material to run into the freshwater lake and poison the marine life.
A total of 17 businesses were forced to suspend operations and 12 of those are now being sued, according to The Irrawaddy.
“The wastewater entering Taungthaman Lake from the drains of these factories is about 70 percent polluted. Since these factories have no proper wastewater management and caused pollution, we decided to sue them and hold them responsible,” said Myo Aung, the director and chief officer of the fisheries department in Mandalay Division.
Some of those accused said they had acted within official guidelines.
Photo: Global New Light of Myanmar
