The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has reportedly directed coastal States to treat tar-ball pollution as a “State disaster” and put in place a centralised, public reporting mechanism to tackle the recurring environmental threat. The tar ball menace has become an annual feature as a result of sludge released by ships into the ocean. They are then washed ashore due to the strong winds during the monsoon season. These tar balls contain high concentrations of heavy hydrocarbons and organic compounds, and this can cause cancer in human beings besides the complete destruction of marine life and, hence, great loss to fishermen.
Touching these tar balls could also have an effect on the skin, especially in the case of children playing on the beach sand. These tar balls can attract various heavy metals, including nickel, copper and cobalt, to their surface, which can prove dangerous for humans. Experts have urged authorities to maintain stricter vigil and check if ships are dumping burnt oil waste off the western coast of India. Successive governments have failed to impound the ships which release the sludge into the ocean. It is understood that normally the oily substance is washed back into the sea during high tide. The residual tar balls on the beach sand need to be cleared by the concerned authorities. The government needs to take steps to prevent the occurrence of the tar ball menace along the coastline on a permanent basis.
