KANNIYAKUMARI: Fishermen from the southern districts demanded that the state government take steps to obtain compensation from the company -- whose vessel MSC Elsa 3 sank off the Kerala coast on May 25 -- for the Tamil Nadu fishermen, who were affected by the cargo spill. The fishermen made the demand, citing the Kerala government's legal action against the company that resulted in its high court recently allowing the detention of the latter's ship -- MSC Akiteta II, anchored in the Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kurumpanai C Berlin, a fishermen activist and writer, told TNIE that the cargo spill affected fishermen from several TN districts, including Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram. "The cargo spill will affect the fishermen for years to come," he said, adding that the state should follow the actions taken by the Kerala government and get compensation for the affected fishermen.
International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET) president P Justin Antony said that on the days following the sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel, several containers, hauling hazardous cargo and plastic pellets, washed ashore, triggering panic among the public, especially fishermen. "The Kerala government moved its high court seeking a compensation of Rs 9,531 crore for the losses suffered, including the adverse effect on the livelihood of its fishermen," he said, urging the TN government to do the same.
Citing that all the sunken containers have not been recovered, Johnson Charles, former ship captain and a functionary of a fishermen association, said the state government should trace and inform fishermen about the GPS position of the containers to prevent damage to boats and nets, as the fishermen from the west coast of Kanniyakumari district would venture into the sea, up to 50 nautical miles, starting August 1. He urged the state to obtain compensation from the company, as the cargo spill would have affected the catch.
P Karthikeyan, an environmental geologist, said the field surveys conducted on May 30 at the intertidal zones, between Kodimunai and Kanniyakumari beach, revealed extensive deposits of nurdles. Kodimunai recorded a very high Pellet Pollution Index (PPI) score, followed by Panavilai (very high), Muttom Beach (high), Lemur Beach (moderate), Sanguthurai Beach (moderate), Manakudi (low), and Kanniyakumari (very low).
Senior officials told TNIE that the state government is making efforts similar to those of the Kerala government, and added that research is underway to determine the impact of the cargo spill. Official sources said over 25,000 kg of plastic nurdles have so far been collected and that the amount of nurdles washing ashore in the district has decreased recently.