Oil spill reported off Maharashtra's Palghar coast from barge impacted by Cyclone Tauktae

The Satpati coastal police station has been approached by the contractors and owners of the barge and containment measures are underway

Nearly a fortnight after the Tauktae cyclone passed near the ONGC’s Mumbai High offshore development area, an oil spill has been reported by fishermen along the Vadrai coast of Palghar district from one of the accommodation barges that ran aground.

The Indian Coast Guard said all necessary precautions are being taken at sea and shore authorities have been alerted.

The local fisherfolk community has flagged the problem to the Palghar district authorities after noticing oil around GAL Constructor that was stuck in the rocky shores of Vadrai, after the devastating 17 May cyclone.

Vadrai Machimar Sarvodaya Society Chairman Manendra Arekar, who is also a member of Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samiti, said: “There is 80,000 litres of diesel on board the barge plus huge quantities of lube and grease….we have already noticed oil spill and this could be a big problem in the days to come.”

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He said that from 31 May-31 July, there is a ban on fishing because of the southwest monsoon, a lot of fishermen depend on the cache along the shores. “Already some people have complained about the smell in the fish,” he said, pointing out that it is affecting the livelihoods of people.

The Satpati coastal police station has been approached by the contractors and owners of the barge and containment measures were underway.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard said that the barge is carrying 78,000 litres of "high flash high-speed diesel" and not crude oil. "No breach of oil tank is reported," it said, adding that Afcons Infrastructure Ltd has arranged M/s Seacare which has laid 400 mts boom around the barge while M/s Shree Krishna is undertaking hull repairs. Besides, M/s Smith & Coy has been hired for the removal of the vessel.

It also said that Coast Guard helicopters has reported "silvery oil sheen" of 50 mts width. "No oil spill has been reported onshore now and continuous liaison has been maintained with an agent of GAL Constructor," a Coast Guard spokesperson said, adding that "sorbent pads" have been laid along with the boom. "It will be recovered with binge oil with the help of fishing boats," the spokesperson added.

Of the total nearly 350 floating and fixed assets in the Mumbai High region, five were affected – Papaa-305, an accommodation barge with 261 persons on board, GAL Constructor barge with 176 persons on board, its anchor handling vessel Varaprada with 13 persons on board, drillship Sagar Bhushan with 101 persons onboard and construction barge Support Station with 202 persons on board.

A total of 714 persons were on board these vessels of which 628 have been saved while 86 lost their lives. The deceased were in Papaa-305 and Varaprada. All those on board the GAL Constructor were rescued by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.