Mumbai: Over a fortnight after two cargo
vessels collided off the city coast, a total of 72 canisters
of aluminium phosphide and 440 of other pesticides have been
located and secured from the sea, a top maritime agency said
on Tuesday.
Measures are being initiated with help from Customs and
police authorities for transportation of these canisters to
the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Directorate
General of Shipping (DGS) said in a statement here.
MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-III, carrying chemicals and
other shipment, had collided on August 7, causing an extensive
oil spill into the sea and nearby mangroves.
Stray cases of oil contamination were reported on fishing
nets at Mahul and Trombay areas. However, no major adverse
impact has been reported in respect of fishing activities.
Remedial measures for oil pollution are underway and sampling
for presence of phosphine (a toxic gas) is also continuing,
the shipping regulator said.
No new sunken containers have been reported in the
navigational channel, the statement said.
Two ferry routes from Mumbai were surveyed and found to
be safe for movement of ferries. There were, however, reports
of sighting of two sunken obstructions, it said.
Meanwhile, 14 vessels for Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and
five for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) were brought in
today, while 12 vessels from MbPT and four from JNPT were
sailed out, the DGS said.
PTI
