ANNOUNCEMENTS
The present research paper discusses the issue of the Chennai Oil Spill, 2017. On January 28th, 2017, a huge oil leak hit Chennai, India's largest coastal metropolis with a population of nearly 7 million people. Two cargo ships crashed around two miles from the Chennai beach, causing the leak. About 75 metric tons of heavy fuel oil was discharged as a result of the disaster. For this oil leak disaster study , this case study offers field observations and laboratory characterization of data in the form of chapter two, done by University of Madras and second assessment conducted by Joint Committee of the officials of regional office of the Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change and Chennai & Tamil Nadu pollution control board. Also INCOIS projections of trajectory of oil spill have been discussed in the same chapter. The paper analysis Bio remediation, Gnome model and SARS as most effective tools in combatting oil spill disasters.
The leak was first thought to be about 200 litres in volume. Later, the figure was revised to two and then three tonnes. It was then changed to 20 tonnes and then to 40 tonnes. The differing estimates and uncoordinated remarks by officials raise doubts not just about the understanding of the crisis, but also about our readiness and capacity to respond to it. The initial cleanup efforts relied on manual methods to skim the trapped oil, which were successful in recovering a significant amount of oil. Since the authorities all relied on coast guard officials for the clean-up operations it became an important question that is it really the duty of only the coast guard to combat oil spill.
Chapter 3 therefore focuses on who should be the first responder of oil spill. The un-coordination of various authorities and the inability of the coast guard to act as the central coordinating authority raised the question for the need of State level contingency plan.
It can therefore be concluded that the assessment result of the spill sites and projections are satisfactory and the technologies so used are effective as discussed in last chapter. It can also be concluded that Coast Guard though acts as a Central Coordinating Authority but as witnessed in the current case the one who first spots the issue is the first responder of oil spill. The late response of the port in communicating the spill to the Coast Guard and inability of respond on time has led to the belief that there exists a need for local contingency plan at least in coastal areas.
