On 4 December, an oil spill from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, contaminated the Kosasthalaiyar river via the Buckingham Canal.
Published Dec 23, 2023 | 7:07 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 23, 2023 | 7:07 PM
The oil spill extended 20 sq km, according to the Indian Coast Guard. (Supplied)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Saturday, 23 December ordered cash assistance ranging between ₹7,500 and ₹12,500 to 9,001 families affected by the oil spill in north Chennai areas.
Also, Stalin directed authorities to disburse ₹10,000 to each of the 787 affected boats.
Due to Cyclone Michaung-triggered rains and resultant floods in Chennai early this month, oil spillage surfaced in Kosasthalaiyar river/the Ennore Creek. Oil mixed with flood water and it spread further reaching the creek area.
On 4 December, an oil spill from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), contaminated the Kosasthalaiyar river via the Buckingham Canal.
As a result of the oil slick and seepage, boats and nets in fishing villages in north Chennai were affected.
The oil spill reached the Bay of Bengal via Ennore Creek, leaving the shores and the water unfit for fishing.
If the layer of oil on the water prevents oxygen permeation, there would be a massive loss of marine life.
In this regard, the government said it took swift initiatives to remove the oil spillage. The oil spill originated from the area where the Chennai Petrochemical Corporation Limited’s refinery is located in north Chennai.
The Tamil Nadu government, on Wednesday, 20 December, said the recovery work in Ennore Creek, necessitated by an oil spill due to the impact of Cyclone Michaung, was over.
It took 900 people and assistance from the local fishermen communities to finish to job, the government said.
An official release said the affected villages were Kattukkuppam, Sivanpadaikuppam, Ennore Kuppam, Mugadwarakuppam, Thazhankuppam, Nettukuppam, VOC Nagar, Ulaganathapuram, and Sathyavanimuthu Nagar.
Also, the livelihoods of fishermen were affected as they could not pursue fishing activities.
Against this background, the government announced financial redress and said each of the 2,301 families in such fishing hamlets would be provided ₹12,500 and ₹10,000 shall be disbursed for each of the 787 affected boats and ₹3 crore has been released. The cash assistance to fishers is being credited to their bank accounts.
As regards the 6,700 families in other areas of north Chennai affected by the oil spill and seepage, the government said each family would be provided ₹7,500 assistance and ₹5.02 crore has been earmarked. “The cash assistance will be directed transferred to their bank accounts.”
In total, 9,001 families in north Chennai affected by the oil spill would be receiving the aid and ₹8.68 crore is the aggregate amount set apart.
The cash aid, in the wake of the oil spill, is over and above the ₹6,000 cash assistance already provided by the government to flood-hit families.
Prakash S, a fisherman from Kattukuppam, tries to avoid looking at his boat and the six nets that were painted with dark oil. “I have to spend a lakh to replace them. Covered in oil, these nets cannot be repaired,” he told South First.
The environmental impact of the oil spill is so severe that the fishermen predict depletion of catch for the next six months. While small quantities of oil spillage has always been noticed at these fishing hamlets every monsoon, this is the second severe incident of oil spill after the one in 2017.
Each boat is estimated to cost anywhere between ₹1.6-₹2.8 lakh and a fishing net costs ₹20,000-₹40,000.
Around 8,000 fishing families from eight fishing hamlets — Sivan Padai Veedu Kuppam, Kattukuppam, Thalankuppam, Mugadwarakuppam, Ernavur Kuppam, Nettukuppam, Chinna Kuppam, and Periya Kuppam — are estimated to be affected by the oil spill.
The oil leak, which was at its worst at the Kosasthalaiyar river, underlines the failures of the state government. It may be noted that the National Green Tribunal, in July 2022, ordered the Environment Department to come up with a detailed project report to study the Ennore Creek and protect wetlands.
The Kosasthalaiyar river, with the double carrying capacity of Adyar and Cooum rivers, is a natural water draining system. It is also home to many encroachments, including illegally laid transmission towers and construction debris that have not been properly removed after the erection of towers belonging to The Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited (TANTRANSCO).
(With PTI inputs)
