IOC `guilty’ of oil slick

The Chief Wildlife Warden, G A Patel, who returned here on Saturday evening after paying a visit to Jamnagar, told The Indian Express, "The investigating team led by National Marine Park director R C Pal has submitted its final report to me and this squarely blames the IOC authorities for the oil slick".

Quoting the report, Patel said the leak had occurred during maintenance and repair work of the sub-sea pipeline near the IOC’s SBM. "We have warned the IOC authorities against the negligent approach they have adopted while unloading imported crude in the deep sea. This activity remains suspended for the last four days following our orders". The probereport will now be submitted to the government.

Patel said the National Marine Park authorities had already registered offences against the "erring" IOC employees for alleged violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, though "we are yet to record their statements as they are absconding". The IOC employees have applied for anticipatory bail, hearing for which is slated on December 1 in the Jamkhambhaliya court. If the court rejects their plea for the anticipatory bail, the "erring" IOC employees may be arrested, said the Chief Wildlife Warden. Patel said he had sought the permission of the State Government for their arrest.

Patel, however, denied reports that the oil slick had caused large-scale damage to the mangroves or marine life near the Narara island. "The mangroves, coral reefs and marine life are all intact,” he stated . When his attention was drawn to reports that a couple of dolphins and a large sea turtle had died following the oil spill, the Chief Wildlife Warden said, "We have sent the bodiesfor post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death".

Patel said that during his visit to the site, he had directed the National Marine Park staff to intensify patrolling one sea as well as on the Vadinar coast and also monitoring of the crude oil handling activity to protect the National Marine Park.