Oil spill no threat to coast: Govt

The oil spill caused by a rupture in the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s Mumbai-Uran Trunk pipeline on Friday morning will not affect the city’s coastline, the state government said.

The oil pipeline leakage, which took place 80km off the Mumbai’s coast, was first observed at 8.45am at the Bassein oil and gas platform.

“The quantity of the spill is only about 50 metric tonnes, which is very low. It also took place outside our territorial jurisdiction. The spill was stopped in the afternoon and situation is under control. It is unlikely that the coast will be affected,” state environment secretary Valsa Nair Singh told the Hindustan Times.

Nair-Singh said that following the spill an emergency meeting of all the crisis management groups was called.

“We have alerted the coast guards to keep a close watch to avoid the oil from spreading further. Necessary action will be initiated in case of emergency,” she added.