Ullal for barge incident survey on by experts

Ullal for barge incident survey on by experts

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 22, 2017: Reports say that a team of experts from Singapore visited Ullal and conducted a survey on the barge which started listing (tilting)  in the sea in the past 18 days.

Barge owners and Port Authority officials visited Mogavirapattana where works on the permanent protective wall to check sea erosion is under progress.

On June 3, the barge which was deployed for the work on the offshore reef started listing after hitting a huge boulder.

As the barge was listing, local residents complained about spilling of oil from the barge. The district administration directed Dharti company, which had deployed the barge, to take precautionary measures immediately. The environment department too had served a notice to the company.

The concerned staff said that four people have been deployed to prevent the oil spilling. Actions have been taken to collect the materials floating out from the barge. Four sprayers have been kept for emergency situations but no incident of oil spilling has been reported in the past 18 days.

The expert team from Singapore had set on from Mangaluru Port towards the barge. An inspection was conducted with assistance from Coast Guard police.

"A possibility of extraction of oil and removal of machinery from the barge is being looked into. The reef will not be damaged due to the barge which is stuck in the boulders. Efforts will be done to cut the barge and lift it from the sea," ADB Project Officer Gopal Naik said.

About 1,500 litres of diesel is stored in sealed containers inside the barge. There is no possibility of leakage of oil. The sea water is being subject to tests everyday. Crores of rupees of loss has been incurred due to the submerging of the barge. The report by the expert team from Singapore will be followed to tow the barge from the sea, said Barge owner Dilip Shah.