the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday took cover under erratic “weather conditions” to explain the dragging of feet by officials and agencies involved in the State’s response to the crisis posed by the naphtha-laden chemical tanker MT Nu Shi Nalini which is grounded a few hundred meters off the Marivel beach near Cabo Raj Bhavan.
“The pumping and transferring out of the naphtha from the tanker will begin from Monday if the weather permits,” Sawant told reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony held at Raj Bhavan where Goa’s new governor Satya Pal Malik took the oath of office.
The tanker which drifted from where it was dubiously anchored in the outer anchorage of Mormugao Port’s jurisdiction during the inclement weather associated with Cyclone Kyarr over a week ago, is holding some 2,500 metric tonnes of highly combustible and dangerous naphtha.
Sawant said the modus operandi to pump out the naphtha and transfer it to a trans-shipper for onward disposal will be fine-tuned at a high-level meeting at the MPT late on Sunday night.
On ground zero, meanwhile, the State administration touched base with the fishing community of Marivel beach and other residents of the area on the salvage operations of the chemical tanker which is grounded on sand and rock a few hundred meters off the beach.
Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate, who incidentally represents Taleigao of which Dona Paula is part, led a team comprising Revenue Secretary Sanjay Kumar, IAS, Additional Collector Vikas Gaunekar and Tiswadi Deputy Collector Vivek HP, IAS, and held consultations with members of the fishing community and the area’s residents.
Kumar explained the steps that have been taken thus far, including surveying the grounded vessel and placement of a temporary barrier around the area where the tanker is grounded to contain the effects of any possible leak.
The Revenue Secretary also explained to the fishermen and residents that efforts will be made tomorrow to begin the operations to remove the dangerous cargo from the vessel, which will be supervised by officials of the Director General of Shipping.
The consultation with the locals of the area by the administration was prompted by Saturday’s development after the former began to panic on seeing dead fish washed ashore.
The locals residing in the vicinity of the beach raised an alarm and turned restive over the snail’s pace at which the administration was going about its salvaging operation despite the cargo on the grounded tanker being highly combustible and dangerous.
