Mumbai oil spill: Testing times for bombil, prawns

Media source
Bellevision Media Network

Mumbai, 11 August 2010: Two days after the oil spill from MSC Chitra was been unplugged, danger of fresh leakage still looms. What has sent alarm bells ringing is that 45 bottles of fumigants have been washed ashore Navakhar and Bodni beach. These bottles have ’POISON’ written on them along with a danger sign. The fishermen at Bodni beach have found bottles with fumes and foul acidic smell emanating from them. Along with that 36 chemical containers have still not been retrieved.

 

The oil spill has created untold damage to the marine life. The state government says it will take 30 days to control the oil spill. The impact on marine life, however, will be of a longer duration, maintain experts. The monsoon is the breeding season for the fish, and the oil spill is centred in one of the fertile patches for fishing. Hence the impact of the oil spill will fall on the fish.

 

 

The Bombay Municipal Corporation has collected fish samples from 52 markets in Mumbai and sent them to labs, the results of which would be available within a week. Bombill and red prawns are the major fish that are being tested. BMC officials however do not consider the fish in the markets to be contaminated and said the samples are being checked as a part of a precautionary measure.

 

 

And it is not just the shores and the marine life that have been badly affected by the oil spill. Even the mangroves have been hit by the oil spill and have turned black. The mangroves are a critical part of Mumbai’s ecosphere and the lush green cover has now turned a toxic black.

 

MSC Chitra has further tilted and a crane is at the site to salvage the area. Water is crystal clear but the oil may have dispersed. There are signs of some debris still floating around the damaged ship.