Environment

How massive Oil Spill happened in Chennai and NGT’s Stringent Measures

8 months ago
236 Views
1 Comment
chennai oil spill

The landfall of Cyclone Michaung brought a fresh challenge for the inhabitants of Ennore, located 25 kilometres from Chennai and the surrounding communities. An oil spill emanating from a nearby refinery, allegedly released into the floodwater, has now expanded to cover an area of around 20 square kilometres, causing significant devastation to the fishermen. 

How does the Oil Spill occur?

R L Srinivasan, the President of Kattukuppam Fishermen Co-operative, stated that the culmination of intense rainfall and the discharge of surplus water from the Poondi reservoir had resulted in flooding the Buckingham canal since the fourth of December. At that time, we believed that Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) discharged oil into the floodwater, causing the oily waste to penetrate buildings in Ernavur and other places. Ironically, the failure to promptly manage the oil spill would result in detrimental effects on the delicate ecosystem of the Ennore Creek. The pungent odour emitted by the petroleum will repel fish and prawns in the vicinity.

People’s Panic Condition

Despite the cessation of rainfall, numerous fishermen cannot engage in fishing due to the persisting odour of oil in the fish catch. Meanwhile, individuals are investing considerable time in removing oil stains from their homes, resulting in the loss of electronic gadgets and essential documents.

The vehicles parked in the area have also been impacted, displaying apparent oil marks on them. Also, streets retain remnants of oil, even as the flood water recedes. Due to the amalgamation of oil and floodwater, the Kosasthalaiyar River endured a significant loss of aquatic life, including numerous fish, prawns, and crabs.

Also Read: Karnataka Sets Aside Rs.5000 Crore For Climate Resilience Project

Livelihood Affected 

K. Bharathi of the South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association reported that the boats, engines, and nets owned by the villages of Nettukuppam, Thalankuppam, Ennorekuppam, Mugadwarakuppam, Kattukuppam, and Sivanpadaikuppam have been impacted. Once oil contaminates the nets, they become unusable.

We advocate for the cleaning and restoration of Ennore Creek. He emphasized the need for responsible companies to implement measures to augment the fish population in the aquatic environment.

Double Stand of Union Government 

The 2017 oil spill resulting from a collision between two ships on the Ennore shore had minimal impact on the area, as the seawater effectively mitigated most of the damage. However, it is the river that has been impacted. I am uncertain about the duration before we may recommence our fishing activities.

Subsequently, the government took proactive measures to secure compensation from private entities on our behalf. But now they remain silent as they have to provide compensation.

Tussle between the State and the Union 

The Tamil Nadu government’s Oil leak Contingency Plan, established in response to the 2017 oil leak, has remained unanswered with the Union Government for the past four years. To some extent, the Union Government is also culpable. Had the plan been implemented, the scenario might have been prevented. Perhaps they remain quiet due to CPCL being under the ownership of the Union Government.

NGT’s Scathing Comment

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench, consisting of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, expressed concern with the level of effort put into preventing the spread of oil along the Kosasthalaiyar river in Ennore. They directed the oil companies and the State government to accelerate the clean-up operations.

The tribunal enquired about the feasibility of deploying booms, which are transient buoyant barriers, at a distance of 11.5 kilometres. Furthermore, the court instructed the government to seek recommendations from Kamaraj Port, Chennai Port Trust, and the Coast Guard. The tribunal requested the State to instruct parents against sending youngsters for oil extraction and to furnish essential safety gear to those engaged in the labour.

Response from the Tamil Nadu Government

Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena presided over a review conference on Monday to discuss the situation in Ennore Creek. During the meeting, he instructed the District Collector of Chennai and the Greater Chennai Corporation to count the families impacted by the oil spill accurately.

“Taking note of the report of the Technical Committee, CPCL was directed to deploy mitigation efforts on a war footing basis with necessary men and machinery under expert guidance. The government’s statement requested CPCL to promptly escalate its mitigation efforts and expeditiously fulfil the assigned assignment.

What’s your Reaction?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
Tags:
Shares:

1 Comment

Comments are closed