Coast Guard rules out oil spill in sea off Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 10 : An Indian Coast Guard ship and Dornier aircraft, that conducted surveillance of the Veli coastal area near the state capital following a leak at Travancore Titanium Products (TTP) on Wednesday, found that no oil has flown into the sea, officials said.

TTP, a premier state public sector unit and located at a stones throw from the international airport, had reported an oil leak after one of its pipes broke, causing concern among the local fishing community after the seashore was found blackened.

TTP officials said that around 2,000 to 5,000 litres of furnace oil had spilled due to the breakage and, as the factory is located on the seashore, reached the seashore.A huge quantity of oil was found inside the factory compound itself.

Following the leakage, the state government requested the Coast Guard to find out the extent of the spill.All forms of fishing in and around the area have been banned for two days and tourists also have been asked to keep away from the sea shore, till further notice.

Local church officials lamented that the fishing population will have no job due to the ban.The Thiruvananthapuram district administration is working on the issue and has promised to compensate the locals appropriately after the Kerala State Pollution Board estimates the loss.District Collector Navajoth Khosa said steps have been taken to see that the contaminated sand at the seashore is removed quickly.