Chennai: The Coast Guard on Tuesday announced that the Ennore oil spill has been contained after over five tonnes of oil mixture was recovered by the Pollution Control Vessel ‘Samudra Paheredar’.
The Pollution Control Vehicle, which was specially brought in from Vishakhapatnam and pressed into work since Monday evening proved critical during the operation, the coast guard said, adding that five other ships a CG helicopter were also deployed for the clean-up operation.
Spillage of fuel furnace oil occurred early Sunday when ‘MT Coral Stars,’ an oil tanker vessel was offloading it through a ‘flexible hose’ in Kamarajar port, at Ennore.
“The spilt furnace fuel oil became highly viscous chocolate coloured mousse owing to weathering in the passage of time and required special equipment and preventing it from reaching the shores. Traces of oil have been effectively dispersed,” a release from the Coast Guard has said.
On Monday, the Coast Guard said it has issued a notice to the master of the vessel- Atlantic Shipping Private Ltd to clean up the oil spill, failing which action would be taken as per law.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, which is the consignee of the furnace oil has been told to collect the furnace oil that was spilt and dispose of it in an environment-friendly manner with inputs from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
Meanwhile, fisherfolk in the area complain that sludge from the spill would affect them regardless. “Even if the officials say 95 per cent of the spill has been contained, only a fisherman can tell the difference. Fish will not swim around the area where oil remnants are present because there will not be any oxygen supply there. Further, nets can get contaminated too,” said K Bharathi, president, South Indian Fishermen’s Association.
A larger oil spill had occurred in 2017 at the same port when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded tanker Dawn Kanchipuram. The oil spilt spread quickly to nearby shores and took over two months to clean.
An initial interim relief of Rs 5000 was promised to around 30,000 fishermen in the Ennore and Pulicat area by the Tamil Nadu government, after which it was increased to Rs 10,000 for fishing boats and 20,000 for motorised boats.
“Some of the relief still hasn’t come. What will they do if we are affected this time,” said Bharathi.
