Mumbai: The oil spill from cargo vessel MV
Rak off the Mumbai coast has decreased in quantum as compared
to Sunday even as the authorities continued their efforts
to neutralise resultant environmental pollution.
Freighter MV Rak sank off Mumbai coast four days ago
leaking oil and Coast Guard ships have sprayed dispersants to
contain the spill which spread to about seven nautical miles
around the ship till yesterday.
An aerial recce of the oil slick was carried out by CG
helicopter between 0930 and 1030 hrs today. It was noticed
that the oil slick around the source of the spill has
decreased in quantum as compared to yesterday and the rate of
spill has reduced to approximately 1 ton an hour, a Coast
Guard release said.
It said the oil slick is visibly thin and a broken
silvery sheen extending up to two miles from the scene of the
incident is seen. Some of the broken oil patches have also
been sighted up to 12 nautical miles from the sunken vessel.
Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari and Sankalp continue to
be engaged in Pollution Response (PR) operation. In order to
neutralise peripheral oil patches, CG has pressed one more
ship ICGS Amrit Kaur into action. A Dornier aircraft of the CG
from Daman has also been deployed.
"Every effort is in hand to check fresh oil hitting the
coast/beaches," the release said.
Three CG teams comprising 30 personnel have been deployed
for assisting BMC, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and
state authorities in analysing the impact in the affected
areas and taking appropriate remedial actions, it said.
PTI
