MoEF 'closely monitoring' oil spill in Mumbai

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IBNS) Minister of Environment & Forests Jayanthi Natarajan on Monday said that the Ministry is closely monitoring the situation arising out of the oil spill due to sinking of MV Rak carrier off Mumbai Harbour.

Natarajan said that regular contact has been maintained with the State Government, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), DG, Shipping and the Indian Coast Guard authorities.

According to the Maharashtra Government, the spill on the Juhu coast is a localised phenomenon due to some other reasons and not due to the Rak spill.

The Rak had about 290 tonnes of furnace oil and 50 tonnes of fuel oil apart from 60000 tonnes of coal and the incident happened at about 25 nautical miles away from the coast.

The Minister said the MPCB has deputed teams to take water samples and to identify the oil content and the source. The ramifications of the ship Pavit being docked on Juhu beach since the last few days are also being examined. Lab analysis will ascertain the source of the oil, if any, on the beach.

As of now, the oil content is about 1 to 2 mgs per litre which is negligible i.e. 1 to 2 parts per million. Any loss to marine life will be ascertained by the National Institute of Oceanography, who have been requested by the MPCB to assist them, she said.

The MPCB has started monitoring/sea water sampling since yesterday at Mumbai coastal areas such as Gateway of India, Dadar, Juhu, Versoa, Gorai, Mahul, and in Navi Mumbai areas. The Juhu beach area has found some oil traces, the sea water samples collected and send to MPCB Laboratory.

The Ministry has asked Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to immediately proceed to Mumbai and coordinate with the State Govenment, MPCB, DG (Shipping), NIO and other organisations in assessing the threat/damage to environment and to plan and implement immediate remediation measures.

The Coast Guard, being the designated national agency for management of oil spills, have stationed their oil pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari at the site to deal with pollution arising from the sunken vessel.

Coast Guard have launched Operation Suraksha 02/11 to prevent damage to the fragile marine environment along Maharashtra coast.

As reported by the Coast Guard, the oil slick is being neutralised by Samudra Prahari, using oil spill dispersant and the Coast Guard is also using helicopters to monitor the situation and for aerial spray of the dispersant to contain the oil spread.

The State Government have kept the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the disctirct collectors in a state of readiness to clean up the shore in coordination with Coast Guard and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The MPCB have requested National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to ascertain loss to marine life if any.