Ship collision: Green damage to be assessed

KOLKATA - Port and pollution control authorities will assess the environmental damage from an oil spill after two container vessels collided in West Bengal’s Hooghly river Nov 22.

“The officials will visit the (collision) spot following a directive from the Calcutta High Court to prepare a detailed report on the extent of water pollution,” said environmental activist Subhas Dutta.

Dutta had earlier registered a complaint with the Ramnagar police station demanding compensation for the fishermen, who are incurring huge losses as the oil spill has threatened marine life.

He also filed a petition in the high court against the vessel owner for causing marine pollution.

“There appears to be no disaster management plan, equipment or infrastructure to tackle an oil spill. If such an accident recurs in future, there should be guidelines in place on how to act,” he said.

The Colombo-bound container vessel - Tiger Spring - was hit by the Bahamas-registered ship - Green Valley - at the confluence of the Hooghly and the Rupnarayan rivers at Nurpur in South 24 Pargans district.

The vessel is now grounded on the sandbar just beside the navigational channel awaiting repairs.