A day after Tug JIN HWA 32, a Malaysian cargo vessel that ran aground in the Chilika on August 9, toppled in the lake, the process for removal of oil from the ship began on Wednesday.
“The oil removal process began today and might take three to four days for completion. After complete removal of the oil, the vessel will be shifted from the shore,” said Commerce & Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera.
There is no danger to the ecosystem of the lake as the ship’s engine is safe and no leakage of oil has been reported so far, the Minister added.
Earlier, the Puri district administration had initiated talks with the vessel’s owner regarding removal of oil from the ship since the Coast Guard had raised concern over possible spill of oil.
The Coast Guard had apprised the State Government about the threat to the eco-sensitive coastal zone in and around the Chilika lake in the event of oil leak from the ship, which contains 30,000 litres of diesel, 1000 litres of lube oil and 200 litres of hydraulic oil.
Notably, the Malaysian cargo ship, which was heading towards Visakhapatnam, had drifted towards the Odisha coast due to a storm in the Bay of Bengal.
The ship has been anchored near the Rajhans island close to the Chilika lake in the Krushnaprasad area in Puri district since then.
