KOCHI: The High Court on Tuesday expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding the environmental and safety risks posed by the wreck of the MSC Elsa 3 cargo vessel off the Kochi coast, observing that reports submitted do not match the claims made by the shipping company.
A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar noted that 96 containers are scattered across the seabed within a radius of 1.5 miles from the wreck site, while another 475 containers remain trapped inside the sunken vessel.
The court also highlighted that a container carrying calcium carbide is lying outside the wreck and is secured only by cargo straps, raising concerns that strong monsoon waves could dislodge it and wash it ashore.
“What were you waiting for until now? More than a year has passed,” Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan remarked while questioning the Union government on the steps taken since the vessel sank.
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General P Sreekumar submitted that environmental concerns are being examined by the relevant agencies and that a joint meeting of authorities has already been convened.
He said the department of earth sciences had been approached for assistance, as it is the only agency equipped to conduct deep-sea examinations. According to information available with the government, nearly one-fourth of the wreck is buried under seabed mud, he added.
The bench, however, questioned the basis of such claims and sought a clear position from the Union government on whether the debris field and the containers remaining inside the vessel posed any risk. The court observed that reports before it indicated that many containers were loose and that there was no reliable assurance regarding their safety.
