Not just oil, capsized Liberian ship poses another environmental threat. It's all over Kerala & TN coasts
According to the Kerala government, the vessel carried 643 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials and 12 containing calcium carbide—a chemical known to ignite on contact with water. The vessel also held 84.44 metric tonnes (MT) of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil.
On 24 May, MSC ELSA 3, en route to Kochi, began tilting soon after it left Vizhinjam port, which reports said was because of a technical issue. By the next day, the ship had completely sunk, around 4.6 nautical miles off the Thottappally spillway in Alappuzha.
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: Days after the Liberian-flagged shipping vessel capsized off the Kerala coast, tiny plastic pellets and other non-degradable remnants from the shipwreck have started washing up on Kerala and Tamil Nadu's coasts. Experts have raised an alarm over the impact of the spill as state government officials scramble to contain it.
The initial concerns about oil spills and debris drifting along the Indian were soon realised, and the state is still struggling to mitigate the impact.
Around four days later, on 28 May, tiny plastic pellets, or nurdles, began washing up on the Thiruvananthapuram coast. The pellets, which look like hailstones, have now started mixing with the sand.
Apart from plastic nurdles, Sreekala S, chairperson of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), wood, cloth, paper, glass, and tea bags, all believed to be stock aboard MSC ELSA-3, are also reaching the shores.
Sreekala added that the district administrations, along with the KSPCB and the Disaster Management Authority (DMA), are now working with volunteers to collect debris from Varkala and will be expanding the operations to other coasts as and when more such instances are reported.
'We conducted a drone survey on Thursday to identify the affected areas. Once the collection process is complete, we will decide on the disposal method,' she said.
Furthermore, Sreekala said that though no major oil spill from the ship had been reported, trace amounts of oil have been detected along the Alappuzha coast.
Authorities in Kerala also said that 55 containers have floated ashore so far, reaching Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram. Containers have also been spotted as far as the coast of Tamil Nadu's Nagercoil.
The pellets, which have been identified as the most hazardous items due to their non-degradable nature and potential to harm marine life, have been found predominantly along the Thiruvananthapuram coast, stretching from Varkala in the north to Thumba in the south.
Robert Panipilla, founder of Friend of Marine Life, a civil society organisation that conducts underwater studies, raised concerns over the impact of the capsizing.
'The government isn't sharing information about what exactly sank with the ship. We depend on marine life, and we have the right to know.'
Also Read: Global warming alarm bells ring as glacier collapse buries entire Swiss village, a first in 125 years
Impact on marine life & concern about livelihood
On Wednesday morning, D. Christhudas, a 52-year-old fisherman, woke up to a disturbing sight—plastic pellets and cashews had washed ashore in his locality of Adimalathura, Thiruvananthapuram.
While he informed the local police station, the tehsildar only visited the village for inspections Thursday.
Christhudas has not been able to work since.
'Not just here—eight nearby coastal villages are facing the same issue. And the authorities haven't taken any action since yesterday (Thursday),' Christhudas told ThePrint Friday.
Now, a deeper fear looms—the loss of livelihood.
Experts are also worried about the long-term implications of the incident.
According to Panipilla, if the plastic remains in the sea for long, biomass will start attaching to it. Eventually, marine life will consume it.
'These pellets resemble fish eggs, which can deceive marine organisms,' he said.
Balakrishnan Nair, director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), also echoed concerns about the plastic pellets.
'We don't have information on how many pellets were on board. But if they are deposited in the sea, it poses a serious danger.'
Experts say the shipping company should be held accountable for the damage.
'People have a right to know what risks they are facing from chemical contamination to the safety of their livelihoods and how the government plans to respond,' Avinash Chanchal, deputy programme director (campaigns) at Greenpeace South Asia, said.
Government action
A senior official from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), on condition of anonymity, said that the Centre is in touch with the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments for regular updates on the cleaning exercise.
'The challenge is that these pellets are very tiny and it is difficult to contain their movement,' the official said, adding, 'In Tamil Nadu, some untampered sacks of these pellets have been collected. But most pellets have broken their packaging and are floating in the waters.'
A team of scientists from the Centre will be visiting Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the coming days to assess the situation and formulate a plan to contain the damage, the official said.
Kerala government's initial plan is that, apart from manually cleaning the coasts from visible pellets, they will also be installing booms—barriers to collect debris in waterbodies—near Alappuzha's Vembanad Lake and Neendakara. This will not only catch the pellets but will also prevent further mixing of oil with freshwater sources.
'The only concern is that oil might leak if the hull breaks. So far, no such issue [major oil leak] has been observed,' Sreekala said.
On Monday, the Indian Coast Guard also deployed vessels—ICGS Vikram, Saksham, and Samarth—to the accident site. The ships used infrared cameras to detect oil spills and apply oil spill dispersants (OSDs) to contain the spread.
A Dornier aircraft stationed in Kochi is also conducting aerial surveillance for the debris from the wreckage, according to Kochi defence PRO Atul Pillai.
The shipping company responsible for the vessel is actively engaged in salvaging and removing the containers, according to officials.
'The company has informed us that they aim to salvage the sunken vessel by 3 July,' Sreekala said.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
Also Read: 4 western disturbances this month made it wettest since 1901. Delhi rains in May isn't all good news
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Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- Indian Express
How the NDA offers women a path to become service chief in the future
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Permanent Commission (PC) remained out of reach for women until 2008, when women SSC officers in the Judge Advocate General department and the AEC became eligible. The government allowed women PC officers into eight other non-combat streams in 2019, but precluded them from being offered command appointments. The fight for PC and just terms of service had reached the courts in the 2000s. The Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict on the matter in 2020, ruling that women officers were eligible for PC and command roles across ten streams, and could not be denied 'based on sex stereotypes… which discriminate against women'. In 2021, the apex court ordered the NDA to admit its first batch of women cadets. The court was hearing a plea seeking directions to allow eligible women to appear in the NDA and Naval Academy entrance examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The 17 women who graduated on Friday were admitted to the premier defence academy a year later. Integration into squadrons The NDA has admitted 126 women cadets till date, upto the academy's 153rd batch. When admitting its first women cadets in 2022, the NDA had said that training will be conducted in 'an absolutely gender-neutral manner' with 'minimum changes to the existing curriculum'. Most training activities are conducted jointly — along with male cadets — keeping the cadets' employability in mind, specifically the fact that women officers would be required to take up command roles in the future, the NDA says. The academy has a dedicated support staff for training women cadets. For its first women cadets, the NDA borrowed from training methodologies and regimens already in place in other Pre-Commissioning Training Academies such as the Officers Training Academy Chennai, Indian Naval Academy Ezhimala, and the Air Force Academy Dundigal. Women SSC officers have been graduating from these academies since 1992. Women cadets were initially provided separate accommodation on the NDA campus. But they have since been integrated into the existing 18 squadrons of the academy. This milestone was achieved earlier this year, during the sixth and final term of the first batch to include women. The NDA's 18 squadrons are the foundational units of the academy's organisation, effectively acting as cadets' families during their time in the academy. The integration of women cadets into the squadrons means that they live and train like any of their male counterparts, going through the entire daily routine together. On Friday, the women cadets marched shoulder to shoulder with the men, wearing the same uniforms, and completely indistinguishable from their male counterparts to the average watcher. A momentous occasion In October 2021, after the Supreme Court had ordered the NDA to admit women, then Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said: 'I think 30 to 40 years down the line, a woman could be standing where I am standing.' The very same thoughts were echoed by former COAS and current Mizoram Governor Gen V K Singh (Retd), who was the Reviewing Officer for the passing out parade of the NDA's 148th batch on Friday. 'I envision a future not far from now when one of these young women may rise to the highest echelons of the service they go to,' he said. This is what makes Friday's milestone such a momentous one in the history of the Indian armed forces. Previously, women joined the military via SSC or direct entry routes into select branches. Neither did they have the opportunity to take up command roles, nor a viable long-term path to rise up the ranks of the armed forces. 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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Schoolchildren help restore forgotten memorial to girl lost to cause of women's education
1 2 3 Pune: Neither the police nor the public gave a second glance at the old, crumbling fountain near Faraskhana police station's parking lot. Few knew it stood as a father's tribute to a daughter lost to the cause of women's education. That changed when a group of Class VI students from DPS Hinjewadi decided to clean it and restore its glory. Around 137 years ago, education for girls was fiercely opposed. But Dr Vishram Ramji Ghollay or Ghole, a Pune-based surgeon and member of a reformist group Satyashodhak Samaj, founded by social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, defied the norm by sending his young daughter to school. Shraddha Kumbhojkar, professor of history at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, said, "Based on contemporary memories and retelling of stories from the descendants, we know about the history of this water fountain. Dr Vishram Ramji Ghole sent his daughter Kashibai to a school founded by the Phule couple and their colleagues, which was one of the earliest schools for girls operated by Indians. Dr Ghole braved huge opposition from the society, including his relatives, for committing the 'sin' of sending his daughters to school. " According to the epitaph on the water fountain, Kashibai was born on Sept 13, 1869, and died on Sept 27, 1877 at the age of 8. "Kashibai used to walk to the school from their home. One day, as she was walking to school and requested water from some residents on the way, she was given poisoned water by them, leading to Kashibai's death. Grieving, Dr Ghole did not give up on the cause of female education. He constructed a drinking water fountain in 1880 so that anyone could drink clean water from it. The fountain-sculpture was adorned with a doll because Kashibai was lovingly called Bahuli, which means a doll. Dr Ghole continued to educate other children, including his daughter, Gangubai. She went on to be a graduate and gave lectures on Indian culture in the US." However, the fountain was displaced from its original place to a new location near Faraskhana police station when Pune Municipal Corporation decided to widen the road in 1952, said Mandar Lawate, another historian. "It ceased to be a water fountain in its new place and unfortunately fell into disrepair," said Lawate. For decades, it lay neglected. Then came a heritage walk organised by Jayesh Paranjape of The Western Routes, which was attended by Siddharth Rajgarhia, director of Delhi Public School Hinjawadi. "I clicked pictures of the haud and showed them to students in the school who were very excited about the history of the place and wanted to do something about it. They first went on a heritage tour with Jayesh to see it for themselves. The students not only brought attention to the forgotten memorial by speaking with the police personnel but also took the first step in restoring it by cleaning the space," said Rajgarhia. This was an eye-opener for police personnel. "Except for people who are originally from Pune or have an interest in history, nobody knew about this structure. While it is near Faraskhana police station, the structure is currently under Vishrambaug police station's jurisdiction and they decided to clean it up," said senior PI Prashant Bhasme from Faraskhana police station. Even Vijaymala Pawar, the senior PI at Vishrambaug police station, said they didn't know about the structure until students showed up. "It was in the parking area in a bad condition. After the students cleaned it up, our people painted and restored it. But of course, the fountain is not working." "The opening ceremony of the haud was done on Bhaubij day at the hands of Dada Bhutkar, a great social reformer from Matang community. It was declared open to all, irrespective of caste or religion, and Bahulicha Haud became a celebrated spot, particularly during Ganesh Festival. Now the haud is no more, and the statue of Bahuli on the top has disappeared. What remains is the original marble epitaph in the symbolic shape of a book with inscriptions composed by Dr Ghole in Marathi and English," said Sheela Padmanabhan, whose maternal grandfather was Vishram Ghole. The doll's statue on the fountain has been replaced with a woman's statue. "We installed the statue on the fountain while helping the police in the restoration work of the haud," said Sunil Rasane, president of Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust. Pune: Neither the police nor the public gave a second glance at the old, crumbling fountain near Faraskhana police station's parking lot. Few knew it stood as a father's tribute to a daughter lost to the cause of women's education. That changed when a group of Class VI students from DPS Hinjewadi decided to clean it and restore its glory. Around 137 years ago, education for girls was fiercely opposed. But Dr Vishram Ramji Ghollay or Ghole, a Pune-based surgeon and member of a reformist group Satyashodhak Samaj, founded by social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, defied the norm by sending his young daughter to school. Shraddha Kumbhojkar, professor of history at the Savitribai Phule Pune University, said, "Based on contemporary memories and retelling of stories from the descendants, we know about the history of this water fountain. Dr Vishram Ramji Ghole sent his daughter Kashibai to a school founded by the Phule couple and their colleagues, which was one of the earliest schools for girls operated by Indians. Dr Ghole braved huge opposition from the society, including his relatives, for committing the 'sin' of sending his daughters to school. " According to the epitaph on the water fountain, Kashibai was born on Sept 13, 1869, and died on Sept 27, 1877 at the age of 8. "Kashibai used to walk to the school from their home. One day, as she was walking to school and requested water from some residents on the way, she was given poisoned water by them, leading to Kashibai's death. Grieving, Dr Ghole did not give up on the cause of female education. He constructed a drinking water fountain in 1880 so that anyone could drink clean water from it. The fountain-sculpture was adorned with a doll because Kashibai was lovingly called Bahuli, which means a doll. Dr Ghole continued to educate other children, including his daughter, Gangubai. She went on to be a graduate and gave lectures on Indian culture in the US." However, the fountain was displaced from its original place to a new location near Faraskhana police station when Pune Municipal Corporation decided to widen the road in 1952, said Mandar Lawate, another historian. "It ceased to be a water fountain in its new place and unfortunately fell into disrepair," said Lawate. For decades, it lay neglected. Then came a heritage walk organised by Jayesh Paranjape of The Western Routes, which was attended by Siddharth Rajgarhia, director of Delhi Public School Hinjawadi. "I clicked pictures of the haud and showed them to students in the school who were very excited about the history of the place and wanted to do something about it. They first went on a heritage tour with Jayesh to see it for themselves. The students not only brought attention to the forgotten memorial by speaking with the police personnel but also took the first step in restoring it by cleaning the space," said Rajgarhia. This was an eye-opener for police personnel. "Except for people who are originally from Pune or have an interest in history, nobody knew about this structure. While it is near Faraskhana police station, the structure is currently under Vishrambaug police station's jurisdiction and they decided to clean it up," said senior PI Prashant Bhasme from Faraskhana police station. Even Vijaymala Pawar, the senior PI at Vishrambaug police station, said they didn't know about the structure until students showed up. "It was in the parking area in a bad condition. After the students cleaned it up, our people painted and restored it. But of course, the fountain is not working." "The opening ceremony of the haud was done on Bhaubij day at the hands of Dada Bhutkar, a great social reformer from Matang community. It was declared open to all, irrespective of caste or religion, and Bahulicha Haud became a celebrated spot, particularly during Ganesh Festival. Now the haud is no more, and the statue of Bahuli on the top has disappeared. What remains is the original marble epitaph in the symbolic shape of a book with inscriptions composed by Dr Ghole in Marathi and English," said Sheela Padmanabhan, whose maternal grandfather was Vishram Ghole. The doll's statue on the fountain has been replaced with a woman's statue. "We installed the statue on the fountain while helping the police in the restoration work of the haud," said Sunil Rasane, president of Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganapati Trust.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Nipun Maharashtra Mission: Lakhs of mothers turn teachers to prepare tiny tots for school
1 2 3 4 5 6 Nashik: In Maharashtra , lakhs of mothers transformed into educators for young children, helping prepare them for their academic journey. More than 11 lakh women with a minimum qualification of Standard X received training to assist children in their neighbourhoods develop essential school-readiness skills. With formal education starting in Standard I from June, many children, particularly in tribal, rural and remote regions, lack fundamental skills in literacy, numeracy and communication. These women received training through the school education department using State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) materials, employing enjoyable learning methods to ease children's transition into schooling. Many women, themselves young mothers, found joy in teaching basic concepts to children this May. "It was like a vacation camp for the children. We made it fun, as most sessions were conducted at home and without any formalities. Most of the children know us because they live nearby and they are friends with our children. It made the entire exercise rewarding," said Aarti Lokhande, a resident of Satana taluka. This initiative stemmed from the March 2022 state govt decision to enhance Foundation Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for children up to 8 years. The programme, conducted in May during summer holidays, focused on children in Standards I to III. It forms part of the Nipun Maharashtra Mission, implemented with NGO Pratham's support. Sangeeta Bhusare from Trimbakeshwar taluka, Nashik, explained that volunteer mothers formed small groups of five to 10 members. Her daughter currently attends Standard II at a zilla parishad school. "We were given study material and also taught how to make the children understand the concepts. Depending on the locality, each one of us in the group had one to five children to teach. We shared the teaching resources and duties as per our convenience," she said. The sessions, held in participants' homes, concentrated on reading, dictation and basic mathematics. Across Maharashtra, 11.09 lakh mothers participated, with Nashik division recording the highest involvement of 2.05 lakh mothers. SCERT director Rahul Rekhawar said, "Efforts are being made for parental engagement and this is one of the exercises being conducted to ensure their involvement in foundational literacy and numeracy. This will help build children's future." A Foundational Literacy and Numeracy report released in 2024 positioned Maharashtra second among nine large Indian states. State govt conducts yearly assessments of Standard III students to evaluate FLN progress. "My children and those in the neighbourhood would come home every day to learn something. I even had children coming to their grandparents' home for vacation coming over. Children enjoyed singing songs, doing simple mathematics, and reading stories," said Vinita Gavit, a mother from Igatpuri taluka. "Parents' involvement in the studies and building the career of a child is important. While there is awareness in the urban areas, efforts are being made to engage parents in the rural areas for the same. Nipun Maharashtra is one such step, and it is building up. The exercise carried out across the state saw huge involvement of mother,s and this is bound to help improve the children's future," said Sachindra Pratap Singh, the education commissioner. Nashik: In Maharashtra, lakhs of mothers transformed into educators for young children, helping prepare them for their academic journey. More than 11 lakh women with a minimum qualification of Standard X received training to assist children in their neighbourhoods develop essential school-readiness skills. With formal education starting in Standard I from June, many children, particularly in tribal, rural and remote regions, lack fundamental skills in literacy, numeracy and communication. These women received training through the school education department using State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) materials, employing enjoyable learning methods to ease children's transition into schooling. Many women, themselves young mothers, found joy in teaching basic concepts to children this May. "It was like a vacation camp for the children. We made it fun, as most sessions were conducted at home and without any formalities. Most of the children know us because they live nearby and they are friends with our children. It made the entire exercise rewarding," said Aarti Lokhande, a resident of Satana taluka. This initiative stemmed from the March 2022 state govt decision to enhance Foundation Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for children up to 8 years. The programme, conducted in May during summer holidays, focused on children in Standards I to III. It forms part of the Nipun Maharashtra Mission, implemented with NGO Pratham's support. Sangeeta Bhusare from Trimbakeshwar taluka, Nashik, explained that volunteer mothers formed small groups of five to 10 members. Her daughter currently attends Standard II at a zilla parishad school. "We were given study material and also taught how to make the children understand the concepts. Depending on the locality, each one of us in the group had one to five children to teach. We shared the teaching resources and duties as per our convenience," she said. The sessions, held in participants' homes, concentrated on reading, dictation and basic mathematics. Across Maharashtra, 11.09 lakh mothers participated, with Nashik division recording the highest involvement of 2.05 lakh mothers. SCERT director Rahul Rekhawar said, "Efforts are being made for parental engagement and this is one of the exercises being conducted to ensure their involvement in foundational literacy and numeracy. This will help build children's future." A Foundational Literacy and Numeracy report released in 2024 positioned Maharashtra second among nine large Indian states. State govt conducts yearly assessments of Standard III students to evaluate FLN progress. "My children and those in the neighbourhood would come home every day to learn something. I even had children coming to their grandparents' home for vacation coming over. Children enjoyed singing songs, doing simple mathematics, and reading stories," said Vinita Gavit, a mother from Igatpuri taluka. "Parents' involvement in the studies and building the career of a child is important. While there is awareness in the urban areas, efforts are being made to engage parents in the rural areas for the same. Nipun Maharashtra is one such step, and it is building up. The exercise carried out across the state saw huge involvement of mother,s and this is bound to help improve the children's future," said Sachindra Pratap Singh, the education commissioner.
