Chennai: In his last official assignment as Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam on Sunday visited the Kamarajar Port in Ennore where two ships collided resulting in an oil spill.
He said adequate compensation would be paid to the fishermen for the losses that they have had to endure.
Mr Panneerselvam visited the port in the morning, hours before he was replaced as leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party. At the site of the oil spill, the Chief Minister said the Union and the State Governments were working together on the issue and that the clean-up operation would be completed in the next couple of days.
The Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra briefed O.Panneerselvam on oil spill recovery operation at Ramkrishna Nagar Kuppam.
He had explained the measures adopted for shoreline cleaning and expressed confidence to complete the works within a week. “Fishes caught from this region were found fit for consumption. There is no impact on marine life. We would provide compensation to the fishermen for their loss,” Mr Paneerselvam said.
Claiming that over 90 per cent clean-up operation was completed, he said that more than 5,700 people took part in tackling the oil slick.
The Union Minister of state for shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan also inspected the beaches of Marina, Elliot’s and Ernavoor and Kamarajar port yesterday and held discussions with the chairman of Chennai port, P Raveendran and Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra about the clean-up operations.
