It has now been announced that the ship Nu-Shi Nalini that has run aground off Dona Paula and that contains over 2000 tonnes of naphtha will be salvaged in a month’s time. The fact is that the ship has been stuck at the spot just off Marivel village for over a month already and there has been little progress that has been made in emptying out its cargo of naphtha and the fuel it carries and also attempting to tow it away. One attempt, in the days soon after it got stranded, did not yield results, and the helicopter lifting machinery to the ship was forced to jettison some cargo into the sea. The weather in the week soon after the ship broke anchor and drifted, did not help with salvage attempts. The sea has been calm after that, but the progress has been slow.
In the meantime, the Mormugao Port Trust admitted in the Bombay High Court that the ship poses imminent danger owing to its ‘bottom breaking and 2000 tonnes of naphtha on board the vessel together with diesel and heavy oil leaking into the sea and endanger marine life’. There being imminent danger of the ship’s bottom breaking, why are measures to pump out its contents and salvage the ship not being expedited? There has also been no action been taken on any of the authorities that were involved in permitting the naphtha-laden ship to drop anchor off Goa, despite them being aware that the ship’s condition was not optimal. The list of transgressions by various authorities in handling the ship can run into many lines.
In the past month there have been various reports that have pointed out just how the ship came to the port and later, during the time it was at the MPT outer anchorage, the cursory manner in which various authorities paid heed to requests from an NGO that had forewarned of this ship turning into a disaster. This, attitude of shrugging one’s shoulders has already proved costly to Goa, and the costs – financial, environmental and health wise – could go even higher, but there is no action forthcoming. Just how long will Goa have to wait before the government takes any action on the various officials for the role they have played in the episode? The Chief Minister is on record to state that action will come after the ship has been towed away. Past experience leads to some apprehension on this statement, as in most such cases the government conveniently closes the matter, once it has been successfully dealt with.
Can Goa really expect that the government will act once the ship has been salvaged and is no longer grounded off Dona Paula, and hence not a threat? In the one month it has already stayed grounded on the rock – an eyesore in the sea – there has been little effort made to lay the blame on any entity or authority. Statements have, however, been made that action will be taken, but these are not followed up by action on any sort. This is a disaster, it should have been declared as one, but until now no such move has been made. The slow pace at which the government has worked in this regard, indicates the casual manner in which the administration takes up issues that are of importance – that could have imminent danger. The State is coming on to the period that is the high season in Goa for tourism, and all attention will be diverted to ensuring that the season goes well. There will be little time to devote to the ship that has been grounded. Can Goa expect any serious salvage operation in the coming weeks?
