No fresh oil spill reported, anti-pollution ops continue

There were no reports of fresh oil spill from a cargo ship which collided with another vessel off the Mumbai coast even as anti-pollution operations are still on to neutralise the oil effect, Coast Guard officials said today.

"No fresh oil spill was reported ever since the fuel stopped trickling out from one of the merchant vessel Chitra's tanks," said S P S Basra, IG, Coast Guard (Western Region).

"It is good to see no further spill but our anti-pollution operation is underway today as well. Wherever we are finding thick oil patches, we are spraying chemical dispersals to neutralise the oil effect," he said adding there is no further tilting of the vessel.

However, the traffic suspended at Mumbai harbour is yet to be restored, Basra added.

Two Panamanian cargo ships, MSC Chitra and MV Khalija-111, collided on Saturday off the Mumbai coast causing an oil spill from one of the vessels. However, no casualties were reported.

Thirty three crew members, including two Pakistanis, were rescued following the incident.

Six coastguard vessels and a helicopter with anti-pollution dispersal spray systems were pressed into service to contain the oil spill.

Atleast 31 containers with hazardous chemicals, including organo-phosphorous pesticides, sodium hydrochloride and pyrethroid pesticides are on board and quite a few of them might have tumbled into the sea and their contents leaked, a coast guard official had said.

More than 300 containers had hurled into the water.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) authorities have been asked not to use sea water for colling purposes at the premier atomic establishment, the official added.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had also undertaken an aerial survey of the affected area yesterday and advised people against fishing in the affected area as marine life around the city was bound to be affected by the oil slick.

Meanwhile, the coastal districts of Maharashtra have been put on alert as the oil slick has spread to Alibaug and Uran areas, and also close to Elephanta caves amid concerns that it may also damage the rich mangrove belt along the coastline.