Shore cleanup steps up in Kanniyakumari as container from sunken MSC Elsa III washes ashore
KANNIYAKUMARI: Shoreline protection activities have been intensified a day after a container, from the vessel MSC Elsa III vessel that sank 38 kilometres off the Kochi coast last Sunday, washed ashore at the Vaniyakudi beach in the district on Thursday morning.
A team of senior officials from several departments, including the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), oversaw the recovery of the container and the removal of debris, as part of the shore cleaning activities on Friday. Volunteers from various agencies, including MSC Marine Engineering Resources Centre (MERC) in Porbandar, Gujarat, were involved.
Eight Navy officers, led by a commander, joined the recovery efforts, while officials from the Gujarat Marine Police took part in a consultation meeting with Kanniyakumari collector Alagumeena.
Incidentally, teak wood logs and raw cashews, among other products washed ashore at Chinnavilai in Kanniyakumari coast on Friday, resulting in people gathering along the shore to collect cashews. Sources said various kinds of cargo, including large quantities of nurdles (tiny microplastics), wooden logs, cast iron rods and bags of cashew nuts, have been washing up on the shores between Neerodi and Kadiyapattinam fishing hamlets for the past four days.
Seeking cooperation from the public, the collector urged them not to handle the nurdles. The district administration has taken precautionary measures as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by Kerala state disaster management department.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- The Hindu
36 coastal villages in Kanniyakumari affected by plastic pellets was ashore; clean-up drive underway
In Kanniyakumri district, a total of 36 coastal villages have so far reported the washing ashore of plastic pellets (nurdles) from the Liberian vessel that sank off the Kochi coast on May 24. Kanniyakumari District Collector R. Alagumeena told reporters on Monday that out of 42 coastal villages, 36 among them stretching from Neerodi to Keezha Manakudi villages had reported to be affected with nurdles and other materials such as wooden logs and cashew nuts. The collector noted, 'The district administration had earlier conducted a meeting with representatives from around 15 fishing hamlets at Thengapattinam harbour to explain about the do's and don'ts related to the handling of debris.' She added that the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority had provided a Standard Operating Procedure for managing the situation, which includes surveys using drones, engaging individuals above 18 years for cleaning the nurdles using gloves, spade and other safety equipment. The collected nurdles were currently being safely stored at respective block and municipality offices. The collector further mentioned that arrangements were underway to transport the nurdles to nearby harbours located in Thengapattinam, Colachel and Chinna Muttam, depending on the proximity of the reported area. As this is an ongoing process, she emphasised that documentation plays a crucial role. Officials from fisheries, revenue, pollution control board and other related departments are involved in the operation. The collected nurdles would be handed over to the Customs Department, said Ms. Alagumeena.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Tonnes of waste cleared daily, but GCC merely dumps it at shut sites?
1 2 Chennai: Chennai clears its streets of construction waste every day — but where does it all go? Nowhere, says the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), in a detailed report submitted to the National Green Tribunal. Despite the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) collecting nearly 1,000 metric tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste daily, the two official processing sites — Perungudi and Kodungaiyur — remain shut, with waste continuing to pile up since their closure. Perungudi stopped functioning in August 2024, while Kodungaiyur followed in December. Though both plants were set up in 2020 with a capacity of 400 MT per day and had valid consents to operate until 2030, the shutdown rendered the collection exercise incomplete. The collected debris is now accumulating at these very sites, violating environmental norms and threatening to undo efforts made under the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016. The TNPCB report also notes that GCC identified 25 dumping hotspots across the city, with persistent illegal dumping near parks, metro rail stations, and even crematoria. While GCC claims to have outsourced C&D collection and transportation to a private contractor, the TNPCB inspections across all 15 city zones confirm that the final step — processing — is not happening. The Board's photos from the ground further confirm this stagnation. In response to a Central Pollution Control Board alert over repeated violations, TNPCB has now issued formal directions to GCC under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The civic body has been asked to comply with the 2016 rules, act against violators, and implement CPCB's 2017 guidelines on environmental management of C&D waste. The report concludes by urging the Tribunal to instruct GCC to restore operations at existing plants and install additional capacity, considering the city's daily waste generation. "They shut the Perungudi plant in August and Kodungaiyur in December, yet keep collecting 1,000 tonnes daily. Where is it all going? In Valmiki Nagar, over 50 tonnes were cleared once, but it came back in weeks. Without processing, the waste is just getting dumped elsewhere," said Karthikeyan, a Thiruvanmiyur resident.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Noise hazard: Power loom units may face upgrades
Chennai: Power loom units in Tamil Nadu may soon face mandatory upgrades as a study highlights noise hazards. Tamil Nadu's 5.68 lakh power loom units, including over 89,000 in Salem and 19,350 in Tharamangalam alone, may soon have to reduce their noise levels or face restrictions. A detailed study reviewed by the Tamil Nadu pollution control board (TNPCB) has flagged serious health and environmental concerns from traditional shuttle looms. The study, conducted by the centre for environmental studies (CES) at Anna University and shared with power loom associations and departments like MSME, TANSIDCO, and SIDBI, identifies shuttle movement in conventional looms as the primary cause of noise. In some cases, individual exposure exceeds permissible limits, but many operators are either unaware or afraid to acknowledge it, fearing job loss. The CES report recommends upgrading old looms to shuttle-less rapier looms and installing soundproof barriers at doors and windows using transparent materials. These changes, the study notes, can reduce ambient noise levels to the CPCB standards for residential areas situated 6 to 7.5 metres away from loom units. However, the upgrade won't be easy. Converting a single loom is estimated to cost between 1,00,000 and 1,50,000. Officials and industry representatives pointed out that immediate large-scale conversion is not feasible. Most operators in the Tharamangalam area produce polyester blends, dhotis, towels, and uniform cloths for the govt's welfare schemes, making them heavily dependent on existing loom types. The department of handlooms stated that product-specific considerations should be factored in and that conversion decisions cannot be rushed. Meanwhile, TANSIDCO suggested a funding model where up to 70% of the cost could be covered through a mix of govt subsidy, long-term bank loans, and owner contribution. Other concerns raised include the lack of trained mechanics, supply chain issues, and difficulty in converting older looms to newer types such as air-jet or water-jet models. The CES clarified that water-jet looms generate 85 dBA, which is lower than rapier or projectile types, but conversions to these are not technically feasible with existing equipment. At a recent meeting, loom associations, including the Kumaran Powerloom & General Workers Union, gave written acceptance of the study's recommendations but called for phased implementation. The matter is now before the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone).
