Team Herald
PANJIM: Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral on Wednesday said the source of tar balls, the annual feature on Goa’s beaches, is essentially oil discharged at Bombay High, a floating oil-field off Mumbai.
Speaking to media persons, Cabral said the government has written to the Union Minister for Environment and Forest Prakash Javdekar and urged the latter to examine ways and means to tackle the polluting phenomenon, which damages the State’s beaches.
“Goa has been witnessing tar balls on its beaches for quite some time now. Hence, we appointed an agency to conduct the study. And we have tracked down on the source of these tar balls after studying the phenomenon,” Cabral said.
“The source is basically the oil discharged at Bombay High and movements of tanks,” the minister added.
Cabral said, “The MoEF will now study our findings before taking measures to address the issue. “
The State had decided to seek assistance from the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard to deter ships and tankers in the international waters from dumping used oil and ballast into the seas.
Tar balls are formed due to a reaction of dumped oil and ballast with the seawater and are later washed ashore due to tidal action.
Beaches in South Goa are more vulnerable to tar ball phenomenon.
