KANNIYAKUMARI: Plastic nurdles that spilled out from containers in the ship that sank off Kochi coast last month have wash ashore to as far as Chothavilai beach, an important tourist spot, in Kanniyakumari district. Unaware of the threat they pose, several children are picking them up from the beach sand and playing with them.
Workers deputed by Puthalam town panchayat, where the beach is located, are frantically segregating the nurdles by sieving the sand with officers of the panchayat and fisheries department supervising the process. Besides, representatives of a private company appointed by the ship company are camping in the area and monitoring the amount of plastic nurdles that are collected.
When contacted , executive officer of Puthalam town panchayat G Usha Gracy said sanitary workers were involved in removing the plastic nurdles, We were regularly monitoring the beach, she added.
Sources said as sanitary workers had regular work, private workers have been engaged in the cleaning works. Around five sacks of plastic nurdles have been collected from the beach so far.
Meanwhile, Kanniyakumari Municipality Commissioner B Kanniyappan said plastic nurdles have not been spotted on the beaches in Kanniyakumari town till now. "We are monitoring the beaches and our sanitary workers are on standby," he added.
District Collector R Alagumeena along with Padmanabhapuram Sub Collector Vinay Kumar Meena inspected Midalam and Kodimunai coastal areas. The Collector said that removal of plastic nurdles washed ashore were going briskly. Awareness was being given to people living in coastal areas and there was no cause for panic.