The National Envir-onmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in its report on the oil spill in the aftermath of the collision between MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia III that occurred in August 2010 has estimated damage to the environment to the tune of `525.186 crores.
“We have come out with a summary of the oil spill report between MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia III,” said Ms Valsa Nair Singh, environment secretary.
Detailing about the damage estimates on the environment, the report reads, “The costs of a particular oil spill are related to a large number of factors notably: spill amount, oil type, etc. The scenario pertaining to the Mumbai oil spill, the oil spill response cost effectiveness analytical tool was found more suitable with some minor modifications.”
As per this yardstick, the estimated cost for total cleanup of shoreline and water is `296.334 crores.
“The costs does not include long term impacts on sediment, flora and fauna, etc. Based on the analysis, the damage cost without cleanup is estimated to be `525.186 crores, whereas, with the cleanup attempts made, it was reduced to `514.917 crores,” stated the report.
However, these figures are conservative in nature as at several places the impact was limited due to the assessment time lag after the oil spill. If other factors like impact on fish breeding areas, biodiversity damages in sediment, effect on birds, etc. are included then the estimates would shoot up drastically. NEERI’s report even mention that in all 46,589 mangrove plants died because of the oil spill.