About a month after the oil spill due to the collision of two vessels near the Tamil Nadu coast, a report by the state government has claimed that seafood can be consumed from Ernavur, Kasimedu and Ennore, areas which were highly impacted due to the oil spill.
This report was submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The report stated that the “abnormal” smell of petroleum is not present in the samples. The samples included the categories of finfish, crustaceans (prawns, crabs, lobsters, shrimps and crayfish) and molluscs (squids, scallops, snails and oysters), The Times of India reported.
Moreover, the report claims that the death of 52 olive ridley turtles could be due to “other reasons”.
The report added that the concentration of some petroleum pollutants was below detectable levels and some other petroleum pollutants like oil and grease were within the prescribed limit for harbour water.
Earlier, an NGO had moved the NGT, asking to restore the environmental ecosystem after the oil spill near the Ennore port on January 28.
Over 200 tonnes of oil had spilled due to collision of two vessels.
The Central Pollution Control Board in a notice to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said that it has found that the water was polluted due to the oil spill.
An earlier article by The News Minute tells you how you can find out if the seafood is fine. See and smell it before you buy it. Contaminated seafood will feel rubbery and mushy, and look unhealthy and pale.