The massive oil spill, that was unleashed after two ships – carrying liquefied petroleum gas and oil, respectively – collided near the Kamarajar Port in Ennore last week, has reached Chennai shores.
A day after the slick washed ashore in Thiruvanmiyur in South Chennai, it reached the lighthouse at Marina beach on 1 February.
After worried fishermen informed the Chennai Corporation, around 150 workers worked to scoop out the dense sheets of oil from the shore.
Bharathi, leader of the South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, told The News Minute that the oil spill has severely affected the livelihoods of the fishermen.
From the last four days, we have been unable to go fishing. There’s some kind of residue that has settled on the shore. Those who do deep-sea fishing have been venturing into the sea. But fishermen in Chennai and Tiruvallur mostly do shallow fishing. We have incurred major losses.
-compressed.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
Environmentalists have warned that the spill could adversely affect marine life in the area.
“The oil is on the sea surface. Deprived of sunlight, photosynthesis is cramped and as a result botanical productivity reduces. The oil harms fish that come to the surface and turtles. They get coated with oil and drown,” Nityanand Jayaraman, an environmentalist had earlier told TNM.
While the Ennore Kamarajar port initially denied the oil spill, they were unable to clear the sludge even on Thursday despite assigning hundreds of workers to the clean up.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)