Mangrove restoration work started in oil spill areas in Ennore Creek

Chennai: Mangrove restoration work has started in the oil spill areas in the Ennore Creek area, a senior official of Tamil Nadu’s Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department said. Following the floods caused by Cyclone Michong earlier this month, oil spilled from the premises of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) into the Buckingham Canal, reaching Ennore Creek.

According to a press release from the state environment department, emergency oil recovery operations following the oil spill in the Ennore Creek area ended on Wednesday. Around 900 people associated with trained marine cleaning agencies completed this task with the help of local fishermen.

“Mangrove restoration work has started in the oil spill areas in Ennore Creek. The area has been divided into four zones. Low speed sea water jet pipes will clean the oil deposits which will be removed using soak pads, skimmers and oil booms. will be absorbed and safely disposed of.” Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Supriya Sahu said in a post on We’ll get there.”

Sahu, who is leading the teams on the ground, visited the affected areas and the affected fishermen communities in the Ennore Creek area along with a team of officials, CPCL representatives, cleaning agencies to monitor the completion of the works. The team observed that while oil recovery and mitigation work was completed in most areas, a longer period was required for oil reserves in the mangroves, as it is a specialized task and has to be done carefully.

“In consultation with experts, it was now decided to shift the entire focus to clean up of oil entry in the mangrove areas. It was further decided that for this purpose the Forest Department would engage local fishermen through CPCL resources to carry out oil clean up work in the mangroves. “Help of small boats using oil booms and soak pads. For this purpose, the department will work on Ennore Mangrove Restoration Project,” the release further said.

An oil slick had formed near Ennore Creek following Cyclone Michong on 3 December. The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests had constituted a technical team on December 10 to find out the cause of the recent oil spill in the Ennore Creek area. The oil spill adversely affected people living in nearby fishing villages.

The release said water mixed with oil entered the houses of many coastal communities, damaging their personal belongings and adversely affecting their livelihoods as boats were found smeared with oil.