Nangal, Oct 7 — About 100 wild boars were found dead in Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary in March, and a postmortem report suggests that industrial pollution may have been the cause. The examination, conducted by the Civil Veterinary Hospital in Bhaton village, Ropar, indicated severe degenerative changes in the animals’ lungs and liver, along with septicemia, pointing to systemic organ failure.
The report noted maggots on carcasses, particularly around the eyes and mouth, but no external wounds were observed. Internal inspection revealed lung congestion and haemorrhages, while the liver showed advanced degeneration. Microscopic analysis confirmed alveolar tissue degeneration and infiltration in the lungs, along with severe liver damage. Based on these findings, veterinary experts concluded that the wild boars likely died due to systemic degenerative changes leading to septicemia.
Dr Gaurav, a veterinarian involved in the autopsy, said, “Pollution and the presence of toxic substances in Nangal Dam Lake cannot be ruled out as a reason for the deaths. This poisoning due to toxic waste in water cannot be discounted.”
Environmental activist Prabhat Bhatti added that locals had long raised alarms about industrial effluents entering Nangal Dam Lake from the Golthai industrial area in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh via a rivulet. “The postmortem report seems to have substantiated the fears of the people in the area,” he said. Bhatti warned that water for several supply schemes in the region is sourced from Nangal Dam Lake, raising concerns for public health.
Kulraj Singh, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife, Ropar, confirmed that the postmortem report pointed to possible poisoning of water due to industrial effluents as the cause of death. “We had written to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to take further action. The PPCB authorities have in turn written to their counterparts in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
Despite the postmortem findings, sources said that no case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, even though the deaths involved protected wild boars listed under Schedule 4. The incident has sparked renewed calls for strict monitoring of industrial waste disposal and urgent remedial measures to prevent further ecological and public health risks in the sanctuary area.
