Vinay singh : Work to clear up the massive oil spill off the coast of Chennai, which took place after two vessels collided on January 28, is expected to be over soon, officials have said. More than 90% of the work has been completed and most of the residual work is expected to be completed in a couple of days.
Here’s a timeline of the accident and the cleanup operations:
- M.T. BW Maple and M.T. Dawn Kanchipuran collided while crossing each other collided at 3.45 am on January 28 the Kamrajar harbour.
- There was no casualty or injury to the crew members.
- M.T. Dawn Kanchipuran suffered a rupture which led to the oil spill
- Kamarajar Port had immediately deployed oil boom around the vessel to contain seepage if any.
- The damaged vessel was towed safely and berthed at Kamarajar Port on 30th January 2017.
- This vessel has completely discharged today in order to prevent any further possibility of an oil spill.
- As soon as the oil leak was tracked, the Coast Guard started mobilizing equipment and manpower for clean-up at various locations and coordinated these operations.
- A massive clean-up operation was launched in Tiruvallur, Chennai and Kancheepuram Districts by engaging more than 2000 persons at various sites including Ernavur, Chennai Fishing Harbour, Marine Beach, Besant Nagar, Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai and Injambakkam beaches.
- The Chennai and Kamarajar ports, from the state government and its agencies, Indian Oil Corporation, NGOs, cadet trainees from maritime educational institutions and fishermen were also roped in for the claen up effort.
- The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, an autonomous centre of the central Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is studying the imapact of the oil sipll on the environment.
- At Ernavur, which had the maximum drift of sludge, booms have been deployed along the shore line to contain the oil spread.
- More than 1000 people were deployed here with portable pollution cleaning equipment for shore line cleaning.
- In addition, 3 Super Suckers and submersible pumps have also been deployed to remove the oil spill. The Coast Guard has also sprayed oil spill dispersants for oil slick removal.
- ICGS Varad was neutralised the remaining oil slick near Chennai Lighthouse.
- More than 90% of the work has been completed and most of the residual work is expected to be completed in a couple of days.
- Chennai Port and State Govt. have organized medical camps today at Ernavoor and Kasimedu fisheries harbour.
- The Indian Oil Corporation has provided special bio-remediation material for treatment of the collected oil sludge for its safe disposal.
- HPCL has arranged for Trailers and manpower for transporting collected sludge to Ennore Port area for bio remediation treatment under the expert guidance of IOC R&D experts where 2000 Sq.M. pit has been created for the purpose.
- Both the ships have been restrained from leaving the Port.
- Directorate General of Shipping has instituted a statutory inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Act to ascertain the causes and contributory factors that led to the accident.
- The total quantity of sludge which was removed till January 2 was 65 tonnes. Super suckers removed another 54 tonnes, which contained 70% water.
- On January 3, about 21.1 tonnes of additional sludge was removed from Ernavoor.
- Sludges at R.K. Nagar (3.40 tonnes), Marina (7.50 tonnes), Sakthi Nagar and Gandhi Nagar (5.40 tonnes), Elliot (0.62 tonnes) recovered. This quantity includes water and sand also.
