GS Paper III

News Excerpt

National Green Tribunal (NGT) questioned Tamil Nadu government and Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) on oil spill in Pulicat backwaters.

More details on news:

• Despite government reports claiming the oil slick was contained, it reached Pulicat, prompting concerns and inquiries.
• Cleanup operations by the CPCL following the oil spill from its Manali refinery during Cyclone Michaung are expected to conclude in few days.
• The NGT has pressed the Tamil Nadu government for detailed reports on the impact of the oil spill on marine species and birds, expressing dissatisfaction with the current silence on the matter.
• In response, CPCL reiterated that there was no leakage from the refinery and attributed the issue to a significant release from the Poondi reservoir.
• The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests (ECCF) is conducting a comprehensive study to assess biodiversity loss in the affected region.
• This includes GIS-based studies, soil and sedimentation analysis, fish gut studies, and an evaluation of the impact on plankton, turtles, and birds.

About Ennore oil spill

• Dark lumps of oil have washed ashore at Koraikuppam and Koonankuppam, near Pulicat, a known biodiversity hotspot.
• The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board identified inadequate stormwater management at CPCL, which led to overflowing of oil mixed water amid floods triggered by cyclone Michaung.
• Due to the incessant rains caused by cyclone Michaung there was unprecedented flooding inside the CPCL refinery in Manali. Presently water levels have receded. There was no pipeline leak from the refinery.

Damage caused by recent oil spill

• Residential Disruption: People have been spending days together cleaning the oil stains from their homes besides losing electronic appliances and documents.
• Health concerns: The fishing villages complain that they have been encountering several health issues since the oil spill last week, besides feeling suffocated due to the odour of the oil.
• Effect on Fisheries: Thousands of fishermen have not been able to venture into fishing even after rains have stopped as fish catch smells of oil, the report stated.
• Ecological Consequences: Hundreds of fish, prawns, and crabs have been found dead in the Kosasthalaiyar River due to the impact of oil mixing with flood water when extremely heavy rains drenched Chennai.

Provisions to deal with the oil spill

• Considering oil leak or oil spill is among the worst ecological disasters, there are various stern measures that authorities can take, which includes hefty penalty to jail term.
• Forexample, in 2020, the National Green Tribunal had imposed an interim penalty on PSU major Oil India over its failure to stop fire in Assam’s Baghjan oil well resulting in damage to the environment.
• There are various international laws and conventions such as International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) for merchant ships that may spill oil due to negligence. Many countries have their own stringent law too in this regard.
• Section 356J of the Merchant shipping Act, 1958, describes the power to give a notice to the owner, etc, of polluting ship when the central government is satisfied the ship is not as per the prescribed rules.
• Section 356K of the same Act states that if a person, after being served the notice under section 356J, fails to comply, the central government can convict the person of an offense.
• National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP): Indian Coast Guard is the Central Coordinating Authority in India for matters related to Oil Spill.  National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) promulgated by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is the apex plan for responding to oil spill disasters in Indian waters and is applicable to shipping, ports, and oil industries.

Way forward:

• To address the aftermath of the oil spill in Pulicat backwaters, collaboration between the State government, CPCL, and environmental agencies is crucial.
• Strengthening storm water drainage systems, implementing stricter safety measures in industrial facilities, and enhancing monitoring protocols can help prevent future incidents.
• Comprehensive studies and transparent reporting on ecological impacts are vital for informed decision-making and sustainable environmental management.

Prelims PYQ

Q. Recently, "oilzapper" was in the news. What is it? (UPSC 2011)

(a). It is an eco-friendly technology for the remediation of oily sludge and oil spills

(b). It is the latest technology developed for under-sea oil exploration

(c). It is a genetically engineered high biofuel-yielding maize variety

(d). It is the latest technology to control the accidentally caused flames from oil wells