A POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
The collision of two large ships off the coast and resulting oil spill has come as disasters. Shipping accident has a serious environmental fall out, because oil or other hazardous cargo is discharged in to the sea.
However, the Maharashtra government says it will take a month for cleanup operations. Around 350 to 400 tonnes of oil was spilled out in to the sea. In the case of the BP oil spill around 0.7 to 1.1 million tonnes had poured in to the Gulf of México. “The hazardous cargo on MSC Chitra, comprising 31 containers of chemicals and pesticide.
Oil spilled from MSC chitra after the merchant vessel collided with MV Khalijia-III off Mumbai coast on Saturday 7th August, 2010. Maharashtra environment minister Suresh Shetty told there were 1,219 containers on board, around 200 to 250 had fallen in to the sea with about two tonnes of oil leaking in to the water per hour.
This is the breeding season for marine animals, and environmentalist fear that the spill may impact not only the breeding cycle but also much more in the future if the oil contaminates the sediments and the seabed. The spill is set to disturb the entire marine ecosystems, including the mangroves, in turn affecting the livelihood of the coastal population.
Environments have called for a systematic study of the incident. Shyam Asolekar, professor at the centre for environmental science and engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai told” the marine ecology consists of all the small and big living organisms in the sea, particulate matter and sediments. There are other living forms like the sea gulls that are dependent on the marine life for survival. Even they are a part of the ecosystems and may stand the risk of being affected. He said the crude oil contained various sizes of particles that affected the ecology in different ways.
India has ratified key environmental and shipping conventions, including the international convention on oil pollution preparedness, response and co operation. The national coast line is about 7,500 km long. 11 major and 20 minor ports that must be equipped to combat oil pollution. A few ships sink in Indian coastal waters every year. In 2007, as many as five vessels with a total of 658 tonnes of oil went down.
Maharashtra state environment Department to take the lead in preparing local contingency plans to prevent environmental damage.
Prof. John Kurakar
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