Chennai, July 11 (IANS): Fishermen affected by the 2017 oil spill off Tamil Nadu's Ennore, following the collision between two ships, will get additional compensation, a five-member bench of the National Green Tribunal has ordered.

The NGT, has in a recent order, directed the Tamil Nadu government to encash the bank guarantees deposited by the two shipping companies and disburse the amount proportionally to the affected people.

The state Fisheries Department will be the nodal agency to oversee the payment of compensation to the affected people and the bench has directed it to take the assistance of individuals or companies for executing the compensation.

Cargo ships MT BW Maple and MT Dawn Kancheepuram near Kamarajjar port on January 28, 2017, led to the spilling of oil and affected the lives of fishermen up to Puducherry. The oil spill affected aquatic life and around 100 Olive Ridley turtles were found dead during their peak breeding season. The fishermen were able to venture into sea only in April 2018 leading to major losses in their revenue.

Several rounds of discussions were carried out regarding the compensation to the affected and the Madras High Court pronounced an order to execute the compensation. Following this, a compromise was arrived between the two shipping companies to pay Rs 240 crore as compensation for the claim of the state government.

Of this amount, Rs 141 crore was deposited as the claim of the fishermen and Rs 15 crore was reimbursed to the state government for the interim compensation paid to the fishermen. A bank guarantee of Rs 84 crore was provided for the balance amount.

The state Fisheries Department had assessed that there were 1,04,728 eligible beneficiaries to whom a compensation of Rs 131.28 crore was paid. According to the Fisheries Department, another Rs 72.11 crore has to be distributed and the NGT ordered that this amount be utilized from the Rs 84 crore bank guarantee provided.

The shipping companies had argued that all the claims including the loss of ecology, restoration cost, and remedial measures were taken care of by the deposit of Rs 156 crore and demanded a refund of the bank guarantee.

The state government argued that the original compensation preferred by it was Rs 240 crore and that the balance could be paid only from the bank guarantee.