T’puram: Around 200 sacks containing plastic waste recovered from the sea have remained piled up at Vizhinjam for nearly two months, raising concerns over the delay in removing marine debris from the fishing harbour.Fishermen had brought the sacks ashore on July 14 after recovering plastic debris from the sea. The material reportedly included plastic fragments believed to have originated from containers that had fallen into the sea. However, the sacks continue to remain stacked at different locations around the fishing harbour.
Marine researcher and ocean conservationist Robert Panipilla said immediate action was needed to prevent further damage to the marine ecosystem
Fishermen said the delay could result in the plastic being scattered by wind and rain and eventually finding its way back into the sea. They had earlier raised the issue of compensation for retrieving the waste from the sea.Marine researcher and ocean conservationist Robert Panipilla said immediate action was needed to prevent further damage to the marine ecosystem.Panipilla also pointed to the rapid commercialisation of areas around the harbour, particularly the emergence of food outlets. He said many such establishments did not have proper waste and wastewater management systems, resulting in waste being discharged directly into the ocean.“Authorities need to identify the sources from which such waste is reaching the sea and take measures to prevent it at the source,” he said.Fishermen said plastic waste in the sea could pose a threat to marine life as well as fishing activity. Plastic bottles, thermocol, discarded fishing gear, and other debris can remain in the marine environment for long periods and eventually break down into smaller particles.The fishing community has also raised concerns over abandoned fishing nets, commonly known as ghost nets, which can become entangled in boat propellers and damage engines. Such nets can also continue trapping marine life after being abandoned.The shifting of the waste comes under the revenue department’s disaster management mechanism, functioning under the district collector. The work has been entrusted to an organisation, officials said. Authorities said necessary action would be taken to remove the waste.
