HC serves notices on Centre, PPT authorities

The Orissa High Court has issued notices to the CBI, Orissa State Pollution Control Board, Paradeep Port Trust (PPT) authorities, the Centre and the Orissa government to fix the responsibility against the persons responsible for the sinking of Black Rose, the Mongolian vessel, near Paradeep.

The court's directive has come in response to a recent PIL (public interest litigation) filed in the Orissa High court by Sankhnad Behera, a Paradeep-based environmentalist.

The PIL was filed on the grounds that the delay in the evacuation of oil from the sunken vessel could pose serious danger to the environment and marine species in the region.

The directive was issued by the division bench of the Orissa High Court consisting of I M Khurudisi and B K Nayak.

Behera pointed out that with the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary located perilously close to the site of sinking of the vessel, an oil spill can easily spread to this area, affecting the famous mass breeding grounds of the Olive Ridley sea turtles.

It may be noted that the vessel which had sunk on September 9 about five km off the Paradeep coast, was loaded with 924 tonnes of furnace oil, 50 tonnes of diesel and 40 tonnes of grease, the leakage of which posed a serous threat to both human and marine species.

Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court has directed the directed the PPT authorities not to float another tender to removal of shipwreck without the permission of the court.