NAGAPATTINAM: The leakage of “residual oil” from a ruptured pipeline belonging to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited in the sea off Nagapattinam coast since Thursday night has been plugged, CPCL said on Saturday. Meanwhile, over 500 boats of Nagore Pattinacherry and several villages in the district remained berthed on the coast for the second consecutive day in protest against the pollution and loss of livelihood due to the spillage. The fishers also wanted authorities to remove the entire pipeline immediately before it ruptures and pollutes the sea again.
“We plugged the leakage under rough sea conditions twice. As some leakage persisted after fixing it first early on Saturday, we deployed equipment and completed the process by afternoon. The leakage may have occurred from impact caused by a foreign object. We are flushing the pipeline and pressurising it for testing its integrity and effectiveness,” a senior CPCL official said.
Oil dispersants have been deployed to clear the sea surface and an oil recovery system to clear hydrocarbons. Officials, however, did not comment on the quantum of the oil spill. The spillage was reported from fishing hamlets south of Nagore Pattinacherry.
After plugging the leakage, CPCL contained the oil spillage by constructing bunds, and pumped the oil into its tankers. The spillage emanated a stench across fishing hamlets in the district. Owners of around 400 motorised fishing boats in Pattinacherry and 150 of the vessels in Samanthampettai continued their strike into Saturday.
T Sakthivel, a fisher representative from Pattinacherry, said, “Our men are afraid to steer their fishing boats over the spillage and beyond as they are afraid that their vessels may catch fire.” G Rajendran, another representative said, “Fishers who fish close to the shore without boats also did not step in over concerns of polluted catch.
We demand removal of the pipeline.” M Ilangovan, from Samanthampettai said, “The traders who visit our village did not turn up on Saturday as they fear our catch may have been poisoned.” A senior CPCL official said, “We will remove the pipeline after industrial expansion after three years.”