Oil Tanker Accident in Sundarbans Threatens The Whole Ecosystem - Indian Authorities on High Alert Environmental authorities in India are on alert after thousands of litres of oil spilled into a nature reserve in neighbouring Bangladesh. Conservation chief Pradeep Vyas said precautions were being taken in West Bengals coastal region. Oil leaked into waterways in the Sundarbans area after a collision involving a tanker three days ago. Officials say it is already harming the regions wildlife, which includes two endangered dolphin species. We are taking all precautionary measures, Mr Vyas, additional director of Indias Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, told Reuters on Friday. The oil spilled after a tanker carrying 350,000 litres (77,000 gallons) collided with another vessel, spreading a sheen across 60km of waterways. The oil slick will have a severe impact on the aquatic lives and the mangrove plants grown along the shorelines where the thick layer of oil has gathered. Fish and other aquatic lives would start dying in large numbers in a day or two, while the mangroves might start dying after a month. The spill will also cause a huge problem on the shorelines of canals and rivers the animals of the mangrove forest drink from, wildlife experts told this paper on Wednesday. The Sunderbans is a Unesco heritage site, home to many rare species. The oil leaked into the river at a sanctuary for rare dolphins. Environmentalists have expressed concern that the impact on wildlife could be disastrous. But government officials say they still cannot give an assessment of the likely damage. The UN on Thursday called for a complete ban on all commercial vessels using the waterways of the Sunderbans. The Bangladeshi navy initially sent four ships to deal with the spill, and planned to use chemicals to disperse the oil. But it was unclear whether the chemicals could be used, amid fears they could cause further damage. This catastrophe is unprecedented in the Sundarbans and we dont know how to tackle this, Amir Hosain, chief forest official of the Sundarbans, told AFP news agency. Were worried about its long-term impact, because it happened in a fragile and sensitive mangrove ecosystem. “Not only the aquatic resources, all the animals of the Sundarbans will be affected by this accident as all the animals come to the rivers and canals to drink water,” said Monirul H Khan, an eminent tiger expert. But the most horrific thing is that the oil would be in the ecosystem for up to 50 years, he added. [Via: BBC and The Daily Star, Pics: AFP]
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 20:34:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015