All measures being taken to manage oil spill near Chennai coast, says government

Government on Friday told the Rajya Sabha that all measures are being taken to manage the situation created by the oil spill near the Chennai coast even as a probe is underway to ascertain its causes and contributory factors.

“There was no casualty or injury to the crew members,” Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Lal Mandaviya said in a statement in the Upper House.

“Director General of Shipping has instituted an inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Act to ascertain the cause and contributory factors that led to the accident,” he said.

Asserting that the government is taking all the measures to manage the situation, he shared details of the cleanup operation post the oil spill, saying the sludge to the tune of 65 tonnes has been removed so far.

“In addition, super suckers have removed 54 tonnes which contains 70 per cent water. More than 80 per cent of the work has been completed and most of the residual work is expected to be completed within 2 to 3 days,” he said.

Mandaviya said that the Coast Guard ship and helicopters are carrying out regular sorties for continuous monitoring of oil slick.

If oil spillage accumulation is spotted anywhere, manpower and material under the overall supervision of Coast Guard will be deployed, he added.

Two vessels M.T. BW Maple and M.T. Dawn Kanchipuram collided on January 28 while crossing each other off the Kamarajar harbour. The vessel Kanchipuram, which was carrying 32,813 tonnes of POL (petroleum oil lubricant), suffered a rupture which led to the oil spill.