It’s Chennai now, could be elsewhere tomorrow
The collision of two ships in Chennai last week, which led to a major oil spill along the northern coastline, is indeed tragic. Though no casualties were reported but the spill, which released large quantities of oil into the sea, has threatened aquatic life and also the fishermen community for whom the sea is the only source of income. On the other hand, images of dead turtles, coated in black oil, which were washed ashore due to the deadly spill, brought back sordid memories of a similar incident that threatened the life of the ecosystem on the shores of Sunderbans a few years ago. More than anything else, severe damage has been done to the marine life. If what the authorities claim — that 90 per cent of clean-up work is done — is true, it is indeed commendable, but that it took more than five days for the situation to be brought under control, poses serious questions which must not be ignored. First, the occurrence of this incident either points towards a poor GPS-controlled navigation system in the country or maybe a lack on the part of the crew members of either of the two ships.
Second, it took almost a day for the port authorities to act on the incident. Initially, the authorities rubbished claims of the fishermen community, who complained about irritation on their feet due to the oil and about their inability to find any fish in the sea. It was only when the larger picture — of fish and turtles being washed ashore — unfolded and when the oil spill reached the Marina beach, that they realised the enormity of the problem. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, which is responsible to act on marine incidents like these. Third, the snail-pace at which the clean-up work was undertaken, speaks volumes about the lack of an effective response mechanism and inadequate use of technology to control massive oil spills like these. Even those involved in the clean-up drive were apprehensive of the harmful effects of the oil. There were a few fishermen who were ready to take their vessels to the shore for relief work to be carried out.
Though an inquiry into the matter, to decipher the reason behind the incident, has been ordered, it is all the more essential that we determine whether we have adequate equipment and trained people to handle such accidents. If not, we must borrow technology for other countries to prepare ourselves for any untoward incident like this. Simultaneously, this incident must also propel our authorities to opt for a more robust mechanism to handle maritime incidents and to also train people how to deal with such incidents which requires scientific knowledge. This time it was Chennai; the oil spill can take place in any other coastal part of the country. Every moment’s delays can prove costly to the environment. Perhaps it’s time that oil spill incidents are brought under the national disaster policy so that damage control work starts at the earliest.