GORAKHPUR, Nov. 4 -- The death of fish in Surajkund Pond for the fifth consecutive day has alarmed officials, devotees, and environmental experts. Despite efforts to curb pollution, little improvement has been seen, officials admitted on Monday. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Singh Sogarwal said fresh water was added to dilute pollutants and reduce algae and ammonia levels, but results remain poor. Over 3.5 quintals of dead fish have been removed in four days, with several weighing up to 15 kilograms. Officials suspect that oil and ghee residues from Diwali and Chhath rituals have formed a layer on the pond's surface, lowering dissolved oxygen levels. Locals allege that sewage and waste from nearby dairies are also contaminating the water. Pollution Control Board officials have collected samples, but test results are awaited. Experts warned that using potassium permanganate and bleaching powder may have worsened oxygen depletion. Environmentalists have criticised the slow response and demanded oxygen level testing and scientific investigation. Additional municipal commissioner Durgesh Mishra stated that immediate mitigation measures were taken on Sunday following the advice of environmental activist Govind Pandey. However, "no effective results have been seen yet." Santosh Kumar Ram, chief executive officer of the Fisheries Department, clarified, "I had requested the municipal corporation to remove the layer of oil from the lake. There is no facility here to conduct a fish post-mortem. If poisoning was suspected, we would have sent the samples to Lucknow for testing." HTC...