Mock clean-up held to prepare for possible oil spill from sunken ship at Mangaluru beach

The Dakshina Kannada district disaster management authority, on Sunday, conducted the second mock drill for sea shore clean-up in case of oil spillage from sunken ship MV Princess Miral at the Ullal beach near here.

The exercise was undertaken with the guidance of Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V. Nine ships of Coast Guard and resource agencies, three Coast Guard aircraft are assessing and monitoring the sea where cargo ship, MV Princess Miral, sank.

The mock drill imparted training to 200 people to check the preparedness, communication and response mechanism of various departments and coordination among stakeholders.

Personnel from the departments of fire, factories and boilers, pollution control board, public works, fisheries, police, Mescom and SDRF were part of the drill, Rajendra told DH.

For the mock exercise, the personnel utilised earthmovers, shovels, life buoys, life jackets, pickaxes, absorbent pads, booms, portable sucking pumps, polythene sheets to collect oil and oil mixed sand.

“As of now, no oil spill has been reported. The pollution control board is monitoring the water in the sea every day. The mock drill is to ensure that we have enough manpower in case of any eventuality,” said sources. As a measure to prevent oil slick polluting Netravathi river, the river mouth has been barricaded from the seaside, using inflatable booms.

Constant surveillance has been undertaken by Coast Guard aircraft and ships in the area around the vessel and onshore for pollution response since June 21.