Oil spill: Buyers shun ‘slick-ick’ fish, say Chowpatty fishermen

Boats parked at Girgaon beach

Chowpatty-Girgaon locals have reported seeing oil on the water and the sand since a couple of days. This oil spill on the beach is usually witnessed early in the mornings, after which it is usually cleaned by civic workers. The slick though, is cause for concern, as it is sure to affect marine life on the iconic South Mumbai beach.

Locals took pictures of the oil spill showing oil seeping into the sand, and sent them out on social media. Watchdog Foundation, a city-based non-profit, wrote to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Manisha Patankar Mhaiskar, principal secretary Environment Department, on June 15.

Fishermen taking their boats to sea

The communication, which cited the oil spill, focused on the dangers to marine life. Excerpts from the communication read: ‘It has been brought to our notice that oil leakage/spill has reached Girgaon-Chowpatty and is lying unattended.' The Foundation attached photos to shore up the claim.

It further said, "Oil spills harm the environment. While some human errors affect nature eventually, few make immediate and huge impacts on the environment, even ending the life of thousands of species at a time. In addition to killing fish, marine mammals and birds, oil spills damage beaches and wildlife habitats. When an oil slick reaches the beach, it also affects human settlement on the beach," said the email signed off by Nicholas Almeida and advocate Godfrey Pimenta from the Foundation.

Pimenta said the email highlighting concerns has been forwarded from the Chief Minister's office to Mahesh Pathak, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department II and Manisha Patankar Mhaiskar, showing a copy of the same. Pimenta added, "We do see oil spills on the beaches in the north of the city. There have been reports since the past few years about these spills. Now, we are witnessing the slick all the way to the South. Every monsoon we have witnessed ‘tar balls' forming on some beaches like the Juhu beach. The current pictures have been taken by fishermen at Girgaon Chowpatty who have been witnessing this every morning, especially since the past three days. Maybe, the oil has been leaked by some barges that were stuck in the sea during Cyclone Tauktae in May, I do not know about the source."

The oil on the sand at Girgaon Chowpatty

Hiralal Wadkar, secretary, Girgaon-Chowpatty Machhimaar Koliwada Association said, "There is fish in the sea and we do get a decent catch. The fish though, at times does reek of ghaslet (kerosene) and the public does not buy the fish. Our nets become slick with the oil, even the rubbish in the sea which is washed on to the shores is coated with this stuff," finished Wadkar who said he has been fishing for, "half a century and I have witnessed oil spills becoming more frequent and acute in the past few years."