A large number of fish were today found dead in Ghanuali drain allegedly due to discharge of some poisonous effluent in it. The drain, which passes through Ambuja cement factory, merges with the Sutlej. While residents of surrounding villages alleged that the factory discharged its effluent into the drain, which led to the death of fish, the plant management claimed that their factory did not produce any effluent. Chak Dheran village sarpanch Mukesh Singh said they noticed the dead fish floating in the drain this morning. They alleged that some chemical was discharged in the drain by the cement plant. Officials of the fisheries and pollution control departments reached the spot and took samples of the fish and water. They said the cause of water contamination would be known only after the testing samples. Ambuja cement plant general manager Rajiv Jain said the plant was set up on land leased out by Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant. “The water discharged from the power plant and adjoining villages is discharged in the Sutlej through this drain,” he said, adding that the plant did produce any effluent. Thermal plant chief engineer Randhir Singh Bains said the plant was lying idle since December, so they could not be held responsible for the fish deaths.