Kolkata, July 25 -- The state Transport department has sought urgent intervention from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for the removal of a container barge carrying fly ash that sank in the Hooghly River (Muriganga River) near Nadabhanga village under Namkhana Block in South 24-Parganas on July 17.
The vessel, MV Shohan Malati, was carrying 724 metric tonnes of fly ash from Budge Budge Port to Bangladesh when it reportedly began sinking due to a leakage around 3 pm, approximately 2 km from Nadabhanga. All eight crew members were rescued by another vessel, MV Sultan Sanjar, operated by the same agency.
A report by the Block Development Officer of Namkhana block states that MV Shohan Malati, under the command of Master Md. Koyes Ahamed, had left Khulna Port, Bangladesh, on June 30 and departed Budge Budge on July 15 with its cargo.
In a letter dated July 24, State Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan wrote to the director of IWAI's Kolkata Regional Office, calling for the immediate removal of the sunken vessel and any spilled cargo. He expressed concern over potential ecological risks.
"I would also take this opportunity to request you to review and revisit the extant arrangements for all such vessels, including regular checking of the operation-worthiness of these vessels to preempt any such future mishap, not to speak of the threats they pose to riparian ecology and aquatic life," the letter stated.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.