Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Apr 15: Over the last couple of days, the sea water between New Mangalore Port and Suratakal beach is becoming increasingly oily. The people who experienced the presence of oil in the water on Tuesday April 14 afternoon, brought the same to the notice of the authorities concerned. Local leaders, who have been looking after the security at the coast said, care is being taken to ensure that the tourists who visit the beaches do not venture into the sea.

Panambur policemen strongly suspect the possibility of the oil waste of the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) having got mixed with the sea water, causing the oil slick. It may be recalled that of late, there have been complaints from people living in Kuttettoor village, that the water of ponds and wells there has been contaminated with the oil leaked from the MRPL storage. Because of this, people also choose to believe that the culprit in this case, is MRPL.

Some of the officials however, feel that oil discharged into the sea by a ship might have caused the oil slick. The people are angry that they have to face this problem at least two to three times every year and that the authorities have failed to find a permanent solution to this phenomenon. The beaches see lots of visitors of late, because of the holiday season and scorching heat.

President of All India Country Boat Fishermen’s Association Sharat Guddekopla expressed his worries that the fishermen, who are already facing multifarious problems, will be hit further due to this problem. Because of the pollution, the fish in the region migrate to far off places and the fishes that live in the depths of the sea are deprived of their natural food, he added.

New Mangalore Port Trust president Tamilvanan, senior officials of the Environment Pollution Control Board and Panambur police visited the beach in the evening on Tuesday and inspected the level of pollution. The Trust officials said, they would begin the task of cleaning up the sea water on Wednesday April 15 morning and complete the work at the earliest. "Major work will be completed within a day," they assured.