TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The tourism department has declared the abandoned M T Pratibha Bheema, which is presently anchored off Miramar beach as a ‘nuisance’ and directions have been given to the owners to remove it within 15 days from the date of receipt of the order.
The company Pratibha Shipping Ltd, Mumbai, has been ordered to act fast, failing which the government would take possession of the vessel and dispose it off. The order issued by director of tourism, Nikhil Desai, on Wednesday, under the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act 2001, also directs the ship owners to de-fuel the containers and 400 metric tons of oil, to prevent spillage or explosions that could cause a disaster and damage the environment and coastline.
The order observes that the vessel is a nuisance and could spell doom for Goa’s coastal eco-system beach, fishing activity and tourism if not removed before the monsoons which reach the State by May.
The tourism department has endorsed the views of the Captain of Ports that the vessel which is on a single anchorage, unmanned and virtually abandoned, if not removed is a disaster in the making.
The order directs the managing director of the shipping company to remove the vessel within 15 days from the date of receipt of the order by obtaining necessary permissions from the Bombay High Court and by following all legal procedures.
The order by the tourism director comes in the wake of a complaint filed by the Captain of Ports against the M T Pratibha Bheema posing as a nuisance and threat to Goa’s ecology, coastline and eventually posing a huge problem for the State and tourism.
Accordingly a show cause notice was issued to the shipping company in January by the director of tourism and the matter was heard.
on January 21 where the company failed to respond… Another show cause notice was issued on January 23, where a representative of the shipping company appeared for the hearing.
The Captain of Ports submitted that that ever since the vessel anchored in Goan waters due to a major engine failure in December 2012, the shipping company did not take any concrete steps to repair and operate the vessel or move it out of Goan waters to prevent possible damage to the Goan coast line despite repeated requests from Captain of Ports, MPT and DG Shipping.
It also submitted that the vessel which is now lying abandoned off Miramar approximately 8 nautical miles, with its engine fully inoperational and is unmanned, unlit and unsafe posing as a navigational hazard, security threat and that there are chances of anchor dragging and cable breakage which will result in drifting and grounding of the vessel at the Goan shoreline.
It is estimated that 400 Metric Tons of fuel which the vessel is carrying will pose an imminent threat to the ecologically sensitive Goa coast.
The shipping company had however submitted that the vessel is in the Custodia Legis of the High Court of Mumbai. It is pointed out further that the High Court in January this year had directed the Sheriff of Mumbai to arrest, seize and detain the vessel from the Goan waters. The Sheriff of Mumbai in turn directed the Captain of Ports, government of Goa to monitor the vessel under arrest, until further orders which had made it difficult for the shipping company to move the vessel out of Goan waters.
The company further stated they have requested “M/s Canacona Hydrocarbons” an authorized Recycling unit in Goa to clear the contaminated and mutilated waste/ Sludge oil from the tanks of the vessel, procedures for which have been initiated.
The tourism ministry however noted that the vessel is on a single anchorage, unmanned and without engine support making it a dead entity to undertake any navigation. Similarly due to non operation of any mechanized apparatus on the vessel, and given the current position of the vessel, the competent authority states that it is not possible to lift the anchor and tow the vessel away to a safe berthing location.
