Mumbai oil spill: Fish, mangroves affected
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COMMENTS 
Over 500 kg of fish samples were found to be contaminated by the oil spill off Mumbai’s coast. Mangroves near Elephanta Island and near Vashi in Navi Mumbai were also affected. There is, however, no estimate of the scale of the damage
Authorities at various levels have formally acknowledged that the oil slick arising out of the mid-sea collision between two merchant ships, the MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-3, on Saturday morning, has reached Mumbai’s shores contaminating fish and mangroves in the commercial city and its suburbs.
A statement issued by the Directorate General of Shipping stated: “The oil slick has been sighted ashore, from Nariman Point to Cuffe Parade in Mumbai; Vashi and Airoli in Thane district; Uran, Mandwa and Elephanta in Raigad district. Elephanta and Navi Mumbai/BARC (the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) are reportedly the only sites where mangroves have been indicated to be affected.”
The office of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner confirmed that about 500 kg of fish samples at Sassoon Dock, Sewree and Bhaucha Dhakka were prima facie found to be contaminated. Further sample testing is being undertaken to ascertain the quality of fish catch.
The state government has asked its fisheries department to continue carrying out random sampling at fish-landing locations. The government banned fishing along the coast after the mishap. The damaged vessel, MSC Chitra, was carrying 531 containers, of which 31 consisted of hazardous material. Twenty-five were carrying solid sodium hydroxide and six were carrying pesticides.
“Officials from the Directorate General of Shipping have told us that the containers are safe, but we don’t want to take chances considering the ship is tilted and 350 containers have either sunk or are floating,” State Environment Secretary Valsa Nair Singh said. “We have not estimated the (extent of the damage) yet. We are yet to receive confirmation.”
Shipping authorities claim the MSC Chitra appeared to have more or less stopped leaking oil since Monday. Efforts to stabilise the precariously tilted ship failed though, because of choppy conditions. The Singapore-based salvaging company SMIT International has begun retrieving cargo that fell off the Chitra.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has constituted four survey teams with assistance from the coast guard and the district and local administration -- one each for Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Thane and Raigad districts.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has asked the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to study the impact of the oil spill on mangroves in Navi Mumbai and Raigad.
Source: The Hindu, August 13, 2010
The Telegraph, August 13, 2010
The Hindustan Times, August 13, 2010