AMN
The oil slick floating along the chennai coast after the two ships collided at the Ennore Port near Chennai has travelled 32 km south and entered the Palavakkam beach on the East Coast Road. The port officials, the Coast Guard and some volunteers have been involved in clearing the sludge since then.
According to the Port officials, the accident occurred after two vessels carrying petroleum byproducts were entering the port after off loading the contents near Kanchipuram.
Since then 70 tonnes of oil sludge have been removed after constant efforts by the coast guard. But a lot more needs to be done. Today the Coast Guard ships were deployed to spray chemicals to contain the spread of the oil in nearby Ennore port. Though the oil spill is said to be a minor one fishing hamlets have run dry as fishing seems to be impossible for the traditional fishing boats like catamaran and small boats. Commandant Pradeep B.Mandal who has been heading the operation said that there may be 10 to 15 tonnes oil still left to be cleared.
According to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services Hyderabad the spill is predicted to affect another 15 km of the coastline until Kanathur by Monday.