Oil spill off Chennai will be cleared in two to three days: Minister

Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan said on Friday that the oil spill off Chennai, following a collision between two tankers on January 28, would be cleared in another two to three days.

In a statement in the Lok Sabha, Radhakrishnan said oil booms placed around the ship prevented further spread of oil in the sea.

"Kamarajar port deployed oil boom around the vessel to contain seepage," the Minister said.

He said that the vessel, which was carrying 32,183 tonnes of petroleum oil, was brought to the port where it has offloaded 30,013 tonnes of oil and the rest will be discharged on Friday itself.

"This major step has prevented any further possibility of oil spill," he said.

The Minister said that teams from the Shipping Ministry, Petroleum Ministry and DG Shipping were sent for inspection of the area and sufficient manpower and equipment are available to battle the situation.

"More than 80 per cent of the work has been completed and most of the residual work is expected to be completed within two to three days," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy said on Friday that two naval ships at Chennai have been kept on standby for immediate deployment to provide support as requested by the Indian Coast Guard.

Navy personnel have been deployed between North Kasimedu and Thiruvottiyur to assist shoreline clean-up of the oil spill. The personnel are also assisting in the clean-up of Marina and Adyar beaches.

Coast Guard officials said till Friday, 72 tonnes of oily sludge, 84.5 tonnes of oil mixed with water and 39 tonnes of tar had been removed.

On January 28, MT Dawn Kanchipuram, carrying petroleum oil lubricants (POL), and MT BW Maple, loaded with LPG, collided off Kamarajar Port in Tamil Nadu.

Several tonnes of crude from MT Dawn spilled into the sea. The oil has spread over a 30 km stretch along the coast, from Ennore where Kamarajar port is situated.

--IANS

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