Oil slick from Ennore reaches Pulicat

CHENNAI: Even as the state environment department and Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) are struggling to remove oil slick from Kosasthalaiyar River and Ennore Creek despite the deadline imposed by National Green Tribunal ends on Sunday, balls of tar and oil have reached Pulicat backwaters. Fishermen in the region suspect the tar balls have spread from the Ennore oil spill.

Women from Koraikuppam, Old Pappankuppam and Vairavan Kuppam, who went to collect sea shells from the beach on Saturday morning, noticed tar balls washed ashore in huge volume and found sea water and beach sand to be oily.

"For the past few days, oil slick remained in Ennore Creek due to inflow from Kosasthalaiyar River. As the inflow stopped, sea current from south to north brought oil to Pulicat sea, " Vinoth, a fisherman said.

He said that fishermen could not venture into the sea due to Cyclone Michaung for 20 days and due to the oil, expressed fear that they could not fish for a few more days. There are 33 fishing villages depending upon the Pulicat backwaters.

"We immediately alerted the fisheries department and officials visited the spot. We have urged the department to provide compensation to affected fishermen. Even though we catch fish, it cannot be sold. Apart from the sea, the oil slick is entering the Pulicat Lake, " Durai Mahendran, general secretary, Tiruvallur District Traditional United Fishermen Association, said.

When asked, a fisheries department official attached to Tiruvallur District, said that the situation in the area is not serious. "Tar balls have washed ashore. If they float on the sea, it may affect fishing. Washed ashore tar balls will get buried over time. This is a small problem, " he added.

However, he clarified that samples will be collected for testing and assessing the impact after a day or two if more quantities of oil slick reach the region.

It may be noted that the southern bench of National Green Tribunal has directed the CPCL to clear the slick by Sunday and scheduled next hearing on the suo motu case on Monday.

However, the oil refinery has promised that it would clear Ennore region by Monday. Due to the oil spillage, fishermen in Ennore could not fish. Some of them have been deployed in slick removal work. Oil slick has already spread from Kosasthalaiyar River mouth to Kasimedu fishing harbour in north Chennai.