Navi Mumbai fisherfolk, restaurants hit

The oil that seeped into the mangroves at Navi Mumbai after the collision between merchant vessels MSC Chitra and Khalijia 3 on August 7 has resulted in heavy loss of marine life, and has affected the fish catch as well as the township’s restaurant business.

The oil that seeped into the mangroves at Navi Mumbai after the collision between merchant vessels MSC Chitra and Khalijia 3 on August 7 has resulted in heavy loss of marine life, and has affected the fish catch as well as the township’s restaurant business.

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Harish Sutar, a Vashi Gaon resident who lives near the creek, said: “The mangroves are still black, which shows there is still oil there. Nothing much has been done to clear it. The clean-up could take over a year. This is worrying fishermen.”

He added: “Fishermen have been badly hit. They cannot go out fishing. The demand for fish has plummeted as residents are taking no chances. Some fishermen who did venture out to sea contracted allergies because of the oil contamination.”

Prakash Thorat, a fisherman, said: “Whenever we go out to sea, the oil sticks to our bodies. We have to use kerosene to remove it. We want compensation from the government. We are suffering huge losses, both commercial and health-wise.”

The situation is so desperate that fishermen in several areas are trying to soak up the oil with gunny bags, but with little success. The authorities, they alleged, inspected the area, but did little after that.

Some fishermen feared that even if the government provided monetary relief, it wouldn’t reach the smaller players. “Whenever we are awarded such relief, the fishermen with large boats connive to distribute the money among themselves,” said a fisherman.

Environmentalists are worried too. Sukumar Killedar, president of Save Mangroves and Navi Mumbai Existence, said: “A large number of fish died. This is breeding time; this spells doom not just for this year but for several years. Birds have also been badly affected; many have died. The ecology of the entire area has been affected.” He felt that the effect of the oil spill would be felt for three to four years and affect the migration patterns of birds such as flamingoes.

Dr Amar Supate, principal scientific officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, said: “The spill is clearing slowly. During testing of water, we are not finding any oil and chemicals now. The situation is in control. There is no need to panic.”

As far as the mangroves were concerned, he said: “We cannot do much now. They will get cleaned naturally. Villagers are trying to clean them with gunny bags, but it will take time.”

Restaurants suffer

The oil spill has affected restaurants in Navi Mumbai. Customers are avoiding seafood, which normally fetches restaurants much of their profits. According M. Sahadevan, general manager of Appetite restaurant at Hotel Devi’s Residency on the Sion-Panvel highway said: “Sixty to 70 per cent of guests are saying no to seafood. We are now sourcing fish and crabs from Ahmedabad and Kolkata.”