Tar balls getting washed ashore along the coast around Mangaluru since around five days have raised concern among environmentalists and fishermen. Yatish Baikampady, CEO of Panambur Beach Development Project, complained to Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil saying tar balls were getting deposited along the shore since April 22. He said that according to information from fishermen, the incident was happening all along the Karnataka coast. Agencies concerned, including the Coast Guard, New Mangalore Port Trust and the Coastal Security Police, need to be alerted to contain this pollution, he said. Mr. Baikampady said if pollution is not arrested, the same would affect beaches as well as fishermen. He told The Hindu that though tar balls getting washed ashore during April May used to happen earlier too, it was not witnessed during the last two years. These tar balls are formed out of oil waste dumped by ships mid-sea when there is churning and pre-Monsoon winds, Mr. Baikampady said. Ships are not supposed to dump oil waste in the sea and have to do the same at ports by paying a certain fee. They circumvent the mandatory provision and dump waste mid-sea, he alleged.The Coast Guard being the nodal agency should act against such a practice, Mr. Baikampady said. Mr. Senthil said he has discussed the issue with the Coast Guard officials, who informed him that deposits of tar balls along beaches during this season was a regular phenomenon. Not only Karnataka coast, such deposits were visible along the western coast till Gujrat, he was told. Shobendra Sasihithlu, president of Fishermen Cooperative Society, said it was a usual phenomenon, though not witnessed in the last couple of years. It affects fishing activities, he said adding that fishermen are now more concerned over drastic reduction in the catch since about two months.
2019, The Hindu