JOIN USHuge oil patches around Mumbai region beaches
Huge patches of oil and tar balls have been reported from various places along the shores of Raigad and Palghar districts in the larger Mumbai metropolitan region.
Environmental activists Sumaira Abdulali, NatConnect Foundation founder-director B N Kumar, Dharmesh Barai, besides the traditional fisherfolk community have flagged off the Maharashtra government on the issue.
Abdulali pointed out a spill at the Kihim beach, besides other places.
The NatConnect Foundation tweeted to the Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav and Maharashtra counterpart Aditya Thackeray on this issue.
Reporting from Rev Danda and Nagaon in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, Kumar said: “It is a matter of serious environmental concern”.
Looking at a number of ships anchored on the high seas off Nagaon, Kumar said: “Obviously, oil is either dumped or oil vessels are being carelessly washed in the sea. Whatever is the reason, the sea is throwing it back to the shore. This kind of presence of oil is bound to affect marine life.”
The beaches are otherwise just beautiful, and they look like virgin beaches, Kumar said. But one feels sad to see the environment getting polluted so badly, he added.
This is Nature's return gift for polluting the sea, he said and called for a high-level technical investigation into the phenomenon.
“Alibaug also has a huge slurry of oil,” said an environmental lover Chaya Taralekar. “Sad to see spoiled beaches,” she lamented.
Traditional fishing community Paramparik Machhimar Bachao Kruti Samiti spokesperson Dilip Koli said “This is horrible. Fish and other marine life is getting badly affected. The government must quickly intervene,” Koli said.
Mangrove Soldiers, a group of citizens who keep clearing huge garbage from mangroves in Navi Mumbai, have come across many plastic bottles being washed ashore. “We have seen thousands of footwears and now even mattresses coming back to the shore,” said Dharmesh Barai who leads the clean-up drive.