Chennai, June 11 (IANS) The Southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a comprehensive report on the cleanup operations following a significant spill of plastic nurdles that washed ashore reaching Dhanushkodi.

The spill originated from a cargo ship that sank off the Kochi coast on May 25.

The vessel in question, MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged container ship sank, nearly 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi.

The ship was carrying more than 600 containers, including hazardous cargo such as calcium carbide, oil and a large volume of nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in the manufacturing of plastic products.

The NGT Principal Bench had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the environmental threat posed by the sinking.

On Tuesday, the Southern Bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, heard the matter and expressed serious concern over the environmental ramifications of the spill.

During the proceedings, the Bench questioned the Tamil Nadu government’s legal counsel on the actions taken in response to the widespread dispersion of nurdles.

“The nurdles have floated all the way to Dhanushkodi. What steps have been taken so far?” Justice Sathyanarayana asked, highlighting the urgency of mitigating further ecological damage.

The Tribunal emphasised the potential harm posed by the spill to marine biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, and water quality, particularly in sensitive ecological zones along Tamil Nadu’s coastline.

Nurdles, when ingested by marine organisms, can disrupt the food chain and have long-lasting environmental consequences.

Adding to its environmental concerns, the Bench also took note of a recent internal explosion reported on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship travelling from Colombo to Mumbai on June 9.

The explosion raised fresh alarms about the risk of oil leaks and debris entering Indian waters, further endangering marine ecosystems.

In light of these developments, the NGT has directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit a detailed status report outlining the immediate containment and cleanup measures undertaken.

The report is expected to include data on affected coastal stretches, steps to recover nurdles, and protocols implemented to prevent long-term ecological damage.

The matter will be reviewed in the next hearing, with the Tribunal closely monitoring both state and Central responses to the unfolding environmental crisis.

–IANS

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