Chennai oil spill clean-up nears completion, fishermen help clear sludge

Chennai: Five days after two merchant ships collided at Ennore port resulting in an oil leak, the pollution response team of the Indian Coast Guard has removed more than 60 tonnes of sludge.

Work is on to clear the oil spill caused due to the collision of two ships and it is expected to be completed soon, a senior official said on Thursday.

"Our team of officials are here and they are speeding up the work. It is assessed that around 20 tonnes of oil spill continues to be there, floating and we are working to clear it soon," Tiruvallur District Collector, E Sundaravalli told reporters.

Meanwhile, authorities said that besides the local officials, Coast Guard authorities, volunteers and fishermen have also pitched in to clear the oil spill in and around the Ennore shoreline.

On January 28, two cargo ships collided resulting in the oil spill. Turtles and fishes were found dead along the northern coastline starting from Ennore stretching up to several kilometers. The mishap and the subsequent seepage of oil also blackened the sea which led to concerns of environmental damage.