Chennai: With the last fraction of the oil spill being cleared from Radha Krishna Nagar Kuppam beach of Ernavur on Tuesday, Indian Coast Guard is all set to commence rock cleaning at the shore.
Elation loomed large on the workers faces as they posed for selfies and group pictures, unbothered of the oil marked clothes. Volunteers from Chennai Petroleum Corporation and Indian Oil collaborated with coast guard staff to clear the oil that floated across the Chennai coast on January 28, following a collision of two merchant vessels at two nautical miles from Ennore Coast.
“The sea is clear now. But if the oil slick from the deep sea reaches the coast, we would resume the clean-up operations,” said a contractor of a Bangalore-based private firm, which was roped up for cleaning.
Speaking to DC, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General, Rajan Bargotra said, “We are yet to finalise the methodology for rock cleaning. However, we would restrain using detergents and soda, as it affects marine life.”
Following the hot water scrubbing on the rocks, the Coast Guard is mulling on natural weathering process. “It is considered safe, as usage of Oil Spill Dispersants (OSD) near the shoreline is perilous. It would take around two months for the oil to vapourise naturally,” he said. The sticky beach poses no threat to marine life, as the locality does not shelter turtles due to its rocky surface.
