Thousands of dead fish have been found floating in Kaudia river and Atharbanki creek here for the last two days, triggering panic among locals and fishermen community. Sources said on Sunday, locals spotted dead fish in the river and creek which have been polluted by effluents and chemicals of local fertilizer units. Meanwhile, livelihood of the fishermen community has been affected with a drastic fall in catch due to dwindling population of fish in rivers and creeks. Fishermen Arun Jalli and Alok Rout alleged that the local IFFCO fertilizer unit is directly releasing its toxic effluents to nearby rivers, thereby polluting the water bodies. These toxic contaminants have polluted the water of Kaudia river and Atharbanki creek causing the fish deaths, they said. Another fisherman Jogendra Parida said illegal processing of dry fish is another cause of river pollution and demanded an end to this practice. Locals have stopped using the foul-smelling river water for the last four days, Parida claimed and added that tonnes of different varieties of fish like Rohu (Rohi), Mrigal (Mirkali) and Catla (Bhakura) have been found dead in the water body.Sources said after intervention of the district administration and Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), local fertilizer units had committed not to discharge chemical effluents into water bodies. However, the situation remains unchanged as the fertilizer units continue the practice unabated. Sources said despite frequent reminders, IFFCO allegedly releases toxic chemicals into the river and creek. Apart from water pollution, the effluents have affected trees and plants which have withered after coming in contact with the hazardous chemicals.On the other hand, officials of Fisheries department or the OSPCB are yet to reach the spot to ascertain the cause of mass fish death. District Fisheries Officer Gyan Ranjan Samal said the department was not informed about the fish deaths till Monday. ’We will send a team of experts on Tuesday to collect water sample and ascertain the cause of water pollution,” he added.