CHENNAI: Two years after an Indian oil tanker collided with a British LPG tanker in the shipping channel of Kamarajar Port, the State government is considering a proposal for safe disposal of 350 metric tonnes of oil spill waste in storage at Kamarajar Port, by Centre for Environment, Health and Safety, Annamalai University.
Dr Nehru Kumar, Professor and Director, Centre for Environment, Health & Safety (CEHS), Annamalai University, said that he had submitted a proposal to the State government for safe disposal of the oil spill waste recovered from the damaged fuel tank of Indian oil tanker MT Dawn, Kancheepuram.
“There may be about 350 metric tonnes of oil spill waste in the storage,” said the professor who had inspected the storage facility at Kamarajar Port.
It is learnt that the State Coastal Zone Management Authority during a meeting held on Wednesday, discussed the proposal but a decision is yet to be taken in this regard.
This comes after the State Environment and Forest department of Tamil Nadu constituted a Committee under the chairmanship of Dr B R Subramanian, Project Director (Retd.), Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management Project Directorate, Chennai, to assess the environmental impact and suggest remedial measures. The committee has furnished the report on assessment of impact of oil spill occurred due to collision of two ships. The government has accepted the Expert Committee report and sought appropriate action on its recommendations.
It is learnt that the Department of Environment has contacted various institutions and agencies like National Institute of Ocean Technology, Annamalai University, Annamalai University, Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management, Indian Institute of Technology among others, but got the proposal from Dr Nehru Kumar of CEHS.
The proposal is worth `190 lakh and has described the methods for safe disposal of the oil spill waste through a four-fold method which include pre-treatment, salvage of recyclables, bioremediation and incineration.
Dr Nehru Kumar told Express that the technical know-how for the proposed project would be provided by Langan, a premier provider of integrated land development engineering and environmental consulting services.
“This company has provided the technical know-how for safe disposal of one lakh metric tonnes of oil sludge,” he said.To a query on what would be Annamalai University’s role in the entire process, he said that the institution will ensure due diligence through inspection and monitoring.
Various institutes
It is learnt that the Environment Department had contacted various institutions like the National
Institute of Ocean Technology, Annamalai varsity, Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management, Indian Institute of Technology among others, but got the proposal from Dr Nehru Kumar of Centre for Environment, Health & Safety, Annamalai Univ