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Oil Spill and its effect on Environment and Damage Control.

Oil spills happen when people make mistakes or are careless and cause an oiltanker to leak oil into the ocean. There are a few more ways an oil spill canoccur. Equipment breaking down may cause an oil spill. If the equipmentbreaks down, the tanker may get stuck on shallow land. When they start to drivethe tanker again, they can put a hole in the tanker causing it to leak oil.

When countries are at war, one country may decide to dump gallons ofoil into the other country’s oceans.

Terrorists may cause an oil spill because they will dump oil into acountry’s ocean. Many terrorists will do this because they are trying to get thecountry’s attention, or they are trying to make a point to a country.

Illegal dumpers are people that will dump crude oil into the oceansbecause they do not want to spend money on decomposing their waste oil.Because they won’t spend money on breaking up the oil (decomposing it) theywill dump oil into the oceans, which is illegal.

Natural disasters (like hurricanes) may cause an oil spill, too. If ahurricane was a couple of miles away, the winds from the hurricane could causethe oil tanker to flip over, pouring oil out.

An oil spill is a release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environmentdue to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term often refers tomarine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters. Oil spills

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include releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs andwells, as well as spills of refined petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel)and their by-products, and heavier fuels used by large ships such as bunker fuel,or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil. Spills may take months or even yearsto clean up.

Anatomy of an oil spill: Crude oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons withthe initial appearance and consistency of thick dirty used oil. When crude oil isreleased into the sea a number of physical and chemical changes occur:

The oil initially floats in a layer up to several inches thick at the water surfacewhich is spread and moved by wind and water currents. Immediately, morevolatile components begin to separate and disperse into the atmosphere andwater soluble components (called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs)leach into the surrounding water. Lighter insoluble components form thin filmsthat spread and move more extensively than the thicker oil. The warmer the seaand air temperature, the more rapidly these components separate. Wave actionseparates the mass into smaller areas and patches, and eventually into smallerglobules, some of which emulsify (‘mix’) with seawater. Oil-water emulsionhas the characteristic tan- yellow color often seen in floating oil slicks.Dispersants (detergent like substances) distributed to break up the oil slickfacilitate the formation of emulsions, distributing the oil as droplets of oil andemulsion throughout the water column.

As the lighter components dissolve, the remaining oil develops a thick gooeyconsistency, and breaks into pieces anywhere from mm to several cm diameters.Depending on the temperature, water content and the surface to volume ratio ofthese globules, they may remain buoyant, become suspended in the watercolumn, or sink to the bottom. The ‘oil slick’ therefore contains a number ofcomponents, thick mats of oil, oily films, oil/water emulsions, particles andlumps (tar balls) that may float or sink and material dissolved in the waterbelow and dispersed into the air above. This mixture of components becomesprogressively more dispersed and difficult to contain as time goes by, and aswave action and temperature have their effect.

As the slick approaches the shore, some of the denser oily components (‘tar’)become mixed with sand, mud and floating debris forming ‘tar balls’ withvariable buoyancy and mobility. These particles may be mixed into the bottomsediments, roll around on the bottom, or wash up on the beach or marsh. Inwarm climates, tar balls may melt on hot days, break up, remix and hardenagain, continually breaking up and releasing additional soluble and volatilecomponents.

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Although the majority of spilled oil remains floating at or near the sea surface,components may be spread throughout the marine environment, water column,bottom and bottom sediments, and shoreline habitats.

Components of an oil spill Floating crude oil Lighter insoluble components in water films Soluble toxic components dissolved in seawater Volatile components in atmosphere Floating emulsions of oil and seawater Particles and globules of oil and emulsion floating, suspended and sunk Oil, films, emulsion and tar coating marine substrates and organisms Oil, emulsion, and tar buried in marine and coastal sediments Tar balls, floating and buried in underwater and coastal sediments

Environmental Impact of Oil Spills: The seriousness of spills varies with theamount, the type of oil, and the location. Visible signs of a spill generallyvanish in a relatively short time, but local plants and animals may be hurt, andthe diversity of species is sometimes affected. Spilled crude and other oilproducts may affect organisms both directly through physical and toxicologicalprocesses, and indirectly through habitat impacts, food-chain disruption andalteration to their community. The magnitude of the impact varies depending onthe type of product spilled, the climate and flow dynamics of the systemreceiving the spill, and the response measures taken.

Since oil is comprised of hydrocarbons essentially the remains of ancientorganisms the moment it is spilled into water it begins to weather and degrade.Weathering is a natural process that breaks down the oil through physical andchemical changes: spreading, evaporation, dispersion, emulsification,biodegradation, dissolution, oxidation, and sedimentation. Spills close to theshoreline tend to have the greatest immediate impact because more diverse

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forms of life may come into contact with the oil. In addition to ecologicalconcerns, shoreline spills can affect the air quality, due to the hydrocarbongases and sulphur compounds present in the oil, and are also a potential firehazard. They will also depress recreational areas, harbours, industries,commercial fishing grounds and tourist attractions.

The rate at which oil spills spread will determine the effect on the environment.Most oils tend to spread horizontally into a smooth and slippery surface, calleda slick, on top of the water. Factors which affect the ability of oil to spreadinclude surface tension, specific gravity, and viscosity. The severity of theimpact of an oil spill depends on several factors, including characteristics of theoil itself. Natural conditions, water temperature, weather and wind conditionsalso influence the behaviour of oil in aquatic environment. Various types ofhabitats have differing sensitivities to oil spills. Some lighter substances in theoil spill may evaporate quickly. Therefore, plant, animal, and human exposureto the most toxic substances is reduced with time, and usually limited to theinitial spill area. Although some organisms may be seriously injured or killedvery soon after contact with the oil in a spill, non-lethal toxic effects can bemore subtle and often long lasting. For example, aquatic life on reefs andshorelines is at risk of being smothered by oil that washes ashore. It can also bepoisoned slowly by long-term exposure to oil trapped in shallow waters onbeaches.

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Effect of Oil on Marine Organisms: The extent of damage caused by an oilspill depends upon the quantity of the oil spilled, the type of oil, and theprevailing oceanographic and meteorological conditions there. When oil spillsin a large quantity it temporarily affects the air-sea interaction, thus preventingthe entry of oxygen from the atmosphere. The first set of organisms to beaffected is the primary producers, such as phytoplankton, which is the base ofthe marine food chain. Other free swimming organisms such as fish larvae, andfish, are also affected. When they come in contact with the oil, the gills of thefish are clogged by the oil, which prevents their breathing and kills them. If theoil spill occurs in an enclosed area and the surface remains undisturbed bywinds and other oceanographic conditions, the water below becomesdeoxygenated due to the absence of air-sea interaction. This causes the massmortality of inhabiting organisms due to lack of oxygen for respiration.Furthermore, when the oil eventually sinks it affects the benthic organisms suchas clams, and mussels, as tar particles are deposited in the mantle of theseorganisms, arresting their physiological activities including respiration. Spilledoil can also damage parts of the food chain, including human food resources.Aquatic environments are made up of complex interrelations between plant andanimal species and their physical environment. Harm to the physicalenvironment will often affect one or more species in a food chain. The effect anoil spill is likely to have on an organism is dependent on the coastalenvironment in which the organism spends most of its life, for example in openwater, near coastal areas, or on the shoreline. In case of fire the organisms arekilled by high temperatures and burning gases. In open water, fish and whaleshave the ability to swim away from a spill by going deeper in the water orfurther out to sea, reducing the likelihood of their being harmed even by a majorspill. Aquatic animals that generally live closer to shore, such as turtles, seals,and dolphins, risk contamination by oil that washes on to beaches or byconsuming oil contaminated prey. In shallow waters, oil may harm sea grassesand kelp beds, which are used for food, shelter, and nesting sites by differentspecies. The most affected are the submerged and sessile organisms such ascorals, and the organisms inhabiting the inter-tidal area. Both, of these have therichest biodiversity and density in any given area. Spilled oil and cleaningoperations can also threaten different types of aquatic habitats, with varyingdegree of impact. Some of them are listed below:

Coral reefs are important nurseries for shrimps, fish, and other animals aswell as recreational attractions for divers. Coral reefs and the aquaticorganisms that live within and around them are at risk from exposure tothe toxic substances in oil as well as smothering.

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Exposed sandy, gravel, or pebble beaches are usually cleaned by manualtechniques. Although oil can soak into sand and gravel, only a very feworganisms live full-time in this habitat, so the risk to animal life or thefood chain is far less compared to tidal flats, for instance.

Sheltered beaches have very little wave action to encourage naturaldispersion. If timely cleaning is not done, oil may remain stranded onthese beaches for years.

Tidal flats are broad, low-tide zones, usually containing rich plant,animal and bird communities. Deposited oil may seep into the muddybottoms of these flats, creating potentially harmful effects on the ecologyof the area.

Salt marshes are found in sheltered waters in cold and temperate areas.They host a variety of plant, bird, and mammal life. Marsh vegetations,especially their root systems, are easily damaged by fresh light oils.

Mangrove forests are located in tropical regions and are home to diverseplant and animal life. Mangrove trees have long roots, called prop roots,which stick out well above the water level to hold the mangrove tree inplace. A coating of oil on these prop roots can be fatal to the mangrovetree and, because they grow so slowly, replacing a mangrove tree maytake decades.

Marshes and swamps, with little water movement, are likely to incurmore severe impacts than flowing water. In calm water conditions, theaffected habitat may take years to restore.

Other standing water bodies, such as inland lakes, and backwaters arehome to a variety of birds, mammals and fish. The human food chain canbe adversely affected by spills in these environments.

Effects of Oil on Birds: Contact with crude oil causes their feathers to collapse and mat together.

This can severely hamper the ability of the bird to fly. There is a breakdown in thermal insulation - oiled birds often suffer from

hypothermia. Crude oil can also cause severe irritation of the skin.

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Birds often ingest the toxic crude oil in an attempt to preen themselves.They may also ingest oil via their prey if their food chain becomescontaminated. The consumption of oil poisons the birds.

An oil spill in the sea, the effects on different parts of the spill on marineorganisms and ecosystems and the potential for long term recovery ofecosystems. Oil spilled at sea breaks into many different chemical and physicalcomponents that spread throughout the system floating, suspended in the water,sunk to the bottom, buried in sediments and coating organisms and coastalhabitats. Marine organisms-plants and animals from smallest plankton to largestwhales, can be affected by both the physical and chemical impacts of oil, tarand toxic oil compounds. While the immediate effects can be catastrophic, andmedium and long term effects last for years or decades and affect all parts of thesystem, marine ecosystems are resilient and eventually recover.Summary of oil spill effects:

Crude oil separates into a variety of forms that distribute throughout themarine environment.

The longer the time, warmer the temperature and stronger the wave andwind, the more dispersed into different components the oil becomes.

These may have direct toxic effects. Toxic effects my directly kill an organism or may contaminate its tissue

and pass through the food chain to other organisms. Many components of a spill (liquid oil, emulsions, particles, tar balls)

have physical effects, blocking feeding, photosynthesis or respiration, orcompromising feathers and fur

Dispersants may break up and prevent further spread of liquid oil, but donot remove the oil from the system, which remains in solution, particles,and emulsions. Dispersants may have their own toxic and physicaleffects.

Consequences of marine oil spills: From the preceding information it isobvious that the oil spill can cause extensive mortality throughout the marineecosystem from the basic foundations of phytoplankton, algae, coral and seagrass to the largest and most mobile organisms. Additionally, the spillcontaminates the tissues of organisms and plants which then pass into the foodchain. These effects result from numerous different parts of the spill anddifferent mechanisms and affect the marine environment from the open ocean tothe shore and coastal estuaries and marshes.

Surprisingly, many studies suggest that while there is evidence of highmortality of fish, birds, sea turtles etc. that the majority of these largerorganisms, and many smaller creatures, actually survive the early phases of the

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spill. Large mobile organisms like birds, fish and dolphins avoid the spill andtake advantage of gaps in the spill coverage. Many animals survive partialexposure to oil, emulsion and tar. While the effects are unsightly, they may notbe immediately lethal.Vulnerable marine organisms:

Phytoplankton (single celled marine algae) -soluble toxins, entanglementin emulsions, shading.

Zooplankton -soluble toxins, emulsions. Sea grass and algae- shading, coating, toxins. Eggs and larvae of fish, crustaceans, mollusks-soluble toxins. Pelagic invertebrates (e.g. squid, jellyfish, salps)- toxins, reduction and

contamination of prey. Pelagic and coastal small fish- ingested particles, absorbed toxins Pelagic and coastal large fish- ecosystem effects, reduced productivity

and prey, tissue contamination. Mobile benthic and coastal invertebrates (e.g. crabs, shrimp, octopus,

conch, scallops)-toxicity, food contamination, coating, tissuecontamination.

Fixed benthic and coastal invertebrates (e.g. mussels, oysters, corals)-toxicity, coating, impaired feeding, ingestion, tissue contamination.

Sea turtles- breathing, coating and ingestion of particles, food(contamination of benthic invertebrates, algae and sea grass).

Cetaceans (dolphins and whales) - breathing, coating and ingestion ofparticles, reduction and contamination of prey.

Manatees -breathing, coating and ingestion of particles, system effects-Sea grass mortality.

Birds-coating, ingestion, system effects food contamination.

More subtle medium term effects are the result of the disruption andcontamination of marine food chains. The failure of plankton, small prey fishand invertebrates causes later problems of starvation, low birth weight, reducedegg clutch size and reduced survival for predators in the upper levels of thefood web such as seals and seabirds. These effects may not appear for monthsor until subsequent breeding seasons. Poisoning and shading of sea grass bedsresults in reduced photosynthetic productivity on which a host of creaturesdepend, and is followed by erosion in coastal waters when sediments are nolonger secured by sea grass roots. Similar effects can occur in coastal marsheswhen emergent marsh grasses are covered and killed. These effects likely affectfish and other commercially fished species but are more difficult to demonstrateor prove.

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Longer term effects are poorly understood, but the removal of particularvulnerable species from marine ecosystems may change the way the systemworks- affecting ‘the balance of nature’. Persistent non-lethal effects ofcontamination on reproduction are suspected to persist for years. These can beexacerbated as storms and wave actions uncover oil and tar buried in coastalsediments and beaches- re-exposing organisms to their effects.

System recovery: Despite these gloomy predictions, the effects of oil spills arenot permanent and complete. Marine systems show remarkable resiliency andas the oil becomes sequestered in less active forms (tar balls, buried oil etc.) andis broken down by sunlight and bacterial action, the systems recover. Survivorsreproduce and recolonize habitats. Some creatures adapt to tar and oil coveredsubstrates and some crabs and mollusks actually eat the tar and the bacteria andfungi growing upon it, and aid its degradation. The oil in its several forms isdispersed, diluted and broken down until only small pockets and particlesremain. Marine systems are by their very nature open- that is connected by thesea, wind and currents to distant uncontaminated regions. Many marineorganisms have mobile life phases (floating eggs, larvae) that recolonize and re-establish populations. Some of the creatures affected by a spill also routinelysuffer catastrophic mortality from other causes (e.g. some colonial nestingseabirds) and are well adapted to recover. Large mobile animals like sharks, seaturtles, large fish and whales that moved away from the spill move back.Although there may be significant mortality of some of these animals, overallthe impact on their populations is usually not permanent.

In the well studied cases in the Arabian Gulf, Alaska (Exxon Valdez) andEnglish Channel (Torrey Canyon), the appearance of the system returned closeto normal within a few years. Although there was still oil and tar present in thesediments, and continuing effects among the organisms there was visiblerecovery of major parts of the system (sea grass beds, rocky intertidal habitats,coral reefs). With the passage of time, approximately a decade or so, andrebalancing of ecosystem and the creatures living in it, the system continues tofunction and returns to productivity, fisheries recover and many of theorganisms are restored to their previous abundance. While such widespreadintense disruption may causes changes in the balance of nature- which speciesare present and how numerous they are- nature itself survives. Although suchcatastrophic events are very damaging and economically expensive at a humanscale, on an ecological time scale they are passing disruptions and on anevolutionary timescale, barely perceptible.

The increase in density of marine traffic, especially oil tankers and petroleumbased installations in the proximity of Indian coast, are possible causes for

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occurrence of oil spills. Spill can occur from blow out, collision, grounding ofvessels and stranding. The developing countries like India should havecapabilities to combat eventual oil spills.

The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan was prepared first time inIndia by Coast Guard during 1996 with an objective to combat oil spill disasterin Maritime zones of India. It has been updated in 2002. Coast Guard is theNational Agency for coordinating with various resource agencies in the event ofoil spills occurring in the seas around India. The Coast Guard has a capability todeal with a major oil spill of approximately 20,000 tons in Exclusive EconomicZone of India. (Coast Guard, 1996). In the National Contingency plan theDepartment of Ocean Development has been entrusted with tasks such asmapping of ecologically sensitive areas and carrying out scientific research ineffects of oil pollution.

Spills can happen on land or in water, at any time of day or night, and in anyweather condition. Preventing oil spills is the best strategy for avoidingpotential damage to human health and the environment.

Role of Contingency Plans: A contingency plan is a set of instructions thatoutlines the steps that should be taken before, during, and after an emergency.A contingency plan looks at all the possibilities of what could go wrong and“contingent” upon actual events, has the contacts, resource lists, and strategiesto assist in the response to the spill. At a glance, an oil spill contingency planmay appear complicated because it provides many details about the numeroussteps required to prepare for and respond to spills. It also covers many spillscenarios and addresses different situations that may arise during or after a spill.Despite its complexity, a well-designed contingency plan should be easy tofollow. Although they are different in many respects, contingency plans usuallyhave four major elements in common, (EPA, 1999) viz:

Hazard identification Vulnerability analysis Risk assessment Response actions

Planners use hazard identification and vulnerability analysis to develop a riskassessment. The risk assessment is then used as the basis for planning specificresponse actions. Each of these four elements is described below:

Hazard identification: It is impossible to know when an oil spill is going tohappen and how much oil is likely to be spilled. However, it is possible toidentify where oil is stored, the corridors through which it travels, and theindustries that use large quantities of oil. Different situations can affect the

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ability of response personnel to contain and clean up an oil spill, such asweather conditions, geographic isolation and spill size. Private companies andlocal, state, and federal agencies design their contingency plans to address spillsfrom many locations and under different conditions. The following informationis usually collected as a part of hazard identification:

Types of oils frequently stored in or transported through that area. Locations where oil is stored in large quantities and the mode of

transportation used to move the oil, such as pipelines, trucks, railroads, ortankers.

Extreme weather conditions that might occur in the area during differenttimes of the year.

The location of response equipment and personnel trained to use theequipment and respond to the spill.

Vulnerability/sensitivity analysis: The vulnerability analysis section of acontingency plan provides information about resources and communities thatcould be harmed in the event of a spill. This information helps personnelinvolved in cleaning up a spill to identify reasonable, well-informed choices onprotecting public health and the environment. Vulnerability analysisinformation should include the following:

List of public safety officials in the community. List of facilities such as primary health centers, nursing homes and

hospitals. List of recreational areas, such as camp grounds. List of critical habitats that can be affected when spill occurs. Identification of parts of the environment that are particularly susceptible

to oil or water pollution.

Risk Assessment: Contingency planners compare the hazard and thevulnerability in a particular location to see the kind of risk that is posed to acommunity. The plan then addresses those problems by determining how bestto control the spill, how to prevent certain populations or environments fromexposure to oil, and what can be done to repair the damage done by the spill.

Response actions: Response actions are developed to address the risks that areidentified in the risk assessment. A carefully designed contingency plan willdescribe major actions that need to be taken when a spill occurs. These actionsshould take place immediately following a spill so as to minimize hazards tohuman health and the environment. The following response actions should beincluded in a contingency plan:

Notifying all private companies or government agencies that areresponsible for the clean up effort.

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Getting trained personnel and equipment to the site quickly. Defining the size, position and content of the spill; its direction and speed

of movement; and its likelihood of affecting sensitive habitats. Ensuring the safety of all response personnel and the public. Stopping the flow of oil from the ship, truck, or storage facility, if

possible, and preventing ignition. Containing the spill to a limited area. Removing the oil. Disposing of the oil once it has been removed from the water or land.

The Case Study: The 2010 Mumbai oil spill occurred after two Panamian-flagged ships, MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-III collided off the coast of Indianear time. MSC Chitra, which was out borne Mumbai on 7.08.2010 at around9:50 A.M local time from South Mumbai’s Nava Sheva port collided with theinbound MV Khalijia-III which immediately threw out the oil containers fromMSC Chitra into the Arabian Sea. Khalijia-III was apparently involved withanother mishap on July 18, 2010.

MSC Chitra, registered in Panama, is owned by Mediterranean ShippingCompany, a public limited company based in Geneva, Switzerland. Itsmanagement operations are conducted from Hong Kong. Khalijia, on the otherhand, is owned by Gulf Rock KSC, a Kuwait-based public limited company,with management operations in Navi Mumbai. The company is listed on theKuwait Stock Exchange.

When the MSC Chitra collided with the Khalijia on 7.08.2010, it had a cargo of1,219 containers holding 2662 tonnes of fuel, 283 tonnes of diesel and 88040liters of lubricant oil. Thirty-one containers had pesticide in them. The Chitratilted sharply under the impact of the collision, resulting in the oil spill andnow, containers of pesticide bobbing off on the sea.

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The oil slick has been sighted on shore from Nariman Point to Cuffe Parade inMumbai, Vashi and Airoli in Thane district, Uran, Mandovi and Elephanta inRaigad district. Elephanta and Navi Mumbai or BARC [Bhabha AtomicResearch Centre] are reportedly the only sites where mangroves have beenindicated to be affected. The Pollution Control Board has constituted foursurvey teams with assistance of the Coast Guard and the district or localadministration, one each for Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Thane and Raigaddistricts. The Navy and the Coast Guards have been carrying out anti-pollutionoperations every day to check and neutralize the oil spill. Six coastguard vesselsand a helicopter with anti-pollution dispersal spray systems were pressed intoservice on 8th August 2010 to contain the oil spill.

Fishing associations have been also requested not to carry out any fishingactivities till the oil spill is contained. Officials are yet to locate the leakage.The thick oil slick has been sighted two to three kms around the vessel Chitra.As on 10th Aug 2010, traffic had been suspended as the containers were stillsighted floating into the channel thus making navigation hazardous.

But MSC Chitra was still tilted dangerously and there was no change insituation. The oil patches off middle ground and islands of Elephanta andbutcher have been cleared off. The district collectors of Thane, Navi Mumbaiand Raigad have reported no sighting of oil on coast line. Pollution responsecapable vessels are spraying oil spill dispersants. During aerial surveillanceconcentrated residual oil patches have been sighted adjoining areas of BARCand Sewri. Around 800 tonnes of oil is floating on the sea comes dangerouslyclose to the coast line.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has also been alerted by theCoastguard to stop using sea water for cooling down purposes as the slick hasreached Sewree area where BARC is located. Hectic efforts continued tocombat the oil spill spanning around two miles in the Arabian Sea.

The Singapore-based Smit Company will begin operations to salvage the MSCChitra from August 11th 2010. But it may take nearly six to eight monthsbefore the ship can be removed from the spot. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust’spumps can suck out oil at the rate of 30 metric tonnes an hour. The ship Chitrawas carrying 2662 metric tonnes of fuel when it started. Nearly 879 metrictonnes has flown out. Besides, there are 283.8 tonnes of diesel and 88,040 litersof lube oil on board. It is expected to take eight days to drain out the oil.

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Coast Guard officials said a crane called Sea Patriot C4 mounted on a ship hasbeen arranged and has been positioned close to Chitra to continuously pump outthe oil.

Impact of the Mumbai Oil Spill: The situation is chilling. A snake whichcame in from the sea was covered in oil and chemicals and was struggling.Neither could it go back into the sea as it is not filled with oil, nor could itremain in the open in the baking sun. The oil spill has turned deadly. And it’snot just this one snake.

Fishermen claim that their fishing nets in the sea are all covered with oil. Noone is willing to buy such fish. The marine life here is contaminated. This hasbeen confirmed by initial reports carried out by the state government. The oilslick has even entered the sensitive mangrove belt. While the government isworking towards a swift clean up, environmentalists fear it may be too late.

The oil slick will enter the mangroves and mudflats and once that happensnothing can be done to clean it up. Moreover it’s believed that India has thetechnology or the intent.

Over 31 containers with hazardous chemicals are still missing and need to befound. Debris can still be seen floating in the waters. The water around thedamaged MSC Chitra is clear but that is because the ship is in deep sea and the

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debris is getting washed ashore. But the fishermen claim there is no need topanic. They are worried people will stop eating fish, affecting their business inturn. The crisis related to the oil spill off Mumbai coast becomes bigger. Evenas mangroves turn black due to the oil slick and toxic chemical bottles getwashed ashore, at the Mumbai docks fish continues to be brought in andhundreds of fishermen continue to go out to sea.

Loss due to spill: Four billion dollar of trade will be lost if the oil spill off theMumbai coast is not dealt with by the weekend. The situation has alreadyprompted exporters and importers to ask the government for financial relief.

The Response System: The collision of two large ships off the Mumbai coastand the resulting oil spill has come as a test of India’s preparedness to handleshipping disasters. A strong oil spill response system is of paramountimportance. Yet capacity-building efforts in major ports have not kept pacewith the need.

India has ratified key environmental and shipping conventions, including theInternational Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response andCooperation. The national coastline is about 7,500 km long and has, in theassessment of the Coast Guard (CG), 11 major and 20 minor ports that must beequipped to combat oil pollution. A few ships sink in Indian coastal watersevery year; in 2007, as many as five vessels with a total of 658 tonnes of oilwent down.

The serious concern for environment protection, particularly in the maritimeenvironment, calls for a urgent attention and adequate measures for oil spillmanagement. The geo-strategic location of India, as a central point to the IndianOcean, makes it imperative for the country to consider issues that have abearing on environmental pollution along the maritime zone. Currently about70% of the world oil demand of 3400 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum(MMTPA) is ferried through the Indian coastline. The increase in hydrocarbonexploration and production, marine transport and the volatility of the situationaround the Indian coastline poses the threat of accident and consequent spillageof oil in the Indian Maritime zone.

Farookh S. BhattiStd.IX/ Div. ‘C’St. Theresa’s High School.