The Pioneer 12.08.2010
BMC admits to fish contamination
TN Raghunatha | Mumbai
In the first confirmation of damage caused by the oil spill to marine life off Mumbai harbour, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday reported that nearly 500 kilograms of fish samples collected by its officials from the Sasoon Dock, Sewree and Bhaucha Dhakka were prima facie found contaminated.
BMC conceded for the first time that oil slick had been sighted on the shores of Nariman Point to Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai, Vashi and Airoli in Thane district and Uran, Mandovi and Elephanta in Raigad district. It indicated that its sample testing of fish caught off the Mumbai harbour had been intensified, following its finding that the fish caught in the area were contaminated.
Simultaneously, the DF Government roped in the State Fisheries department to carry out random sampling of fish at specified landing locations like Sasoon Dock and Bhaucha Dhakka.
Fish samples from civic markets across the city are also being collected. “Having covered as many as 10 civic markets in the city, we have collected as many as 24 samples and sent them to municipal laboratories for testing. We expect the first analysis reports by early next week,” BMC’s Assistant Municipal Commissioner Deepak Kamat told The Pioneer.
The Director General of Shipping, meanwhile, revealed that Elephanta Island, in Navi Mumbai and on the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’s (BARC) complex were the only sites where mangroves had been affected by the oil spill from MSC Chitra.
In an effort to gauge the extent of pollution caused to marine environment by the oil spill, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has formed four teams, with assistance of Coast Guard and the District Local Administration, to survey the affected areas in Mumbai, its suburbs, neighbouring Thane and Raigad districts.
Meanwhile, the analysis of water samples collected from the Arabian Sea off the city harbour revealed that they did not contain hazardous chemicals like sodium hydroxide or pesticides as had been feared earlier.
Ahead of the start of salvage operation on Friday, the Navy’s ship INS Yamuna began surveying the entire navigational channel, which provides access to both Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru ports.
The authorities have so far identified only three out several sunken containers. “The completion of a survey by the naval ship will help the port authorities to examine the possibilities of restricted navigation off the Mumbai harbour,” the DG-Shipping officials said.
Meanwhile, at a coordination meeting organised by the Director General of Shipping, Mumbai Port Trust was identified as the nodal agency for processing the damage claims
In a related development, a representative of Director General Lighthouse and Lightships has joined the coordination efforts.
The authorities have begun to procure suitable buoys for marking the containers.
