Black tar found on the beaches in Panambur and Surathkal: Fishermen worry

April 26: A substance resembling black tar is found on the beaches in Panambur and Surathkal and sticks to the feet of those walking on the beach barefoot.

Yathish Baikampady, the Chairman of Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project said that the tar ball deposition on the beaches is an annual phenomenon being witnessed during the peak of summer just before monsoon, since many years. He said that the tar balls have been found scattered on the Mangalorean beaches since April 22. A case of oil leakage or discharge from the foreign vessels arriving at New Mangalore Port was suspected initially. He added that he had written a letter to deputy commissioner on minimising the damage to fishing and marine ecology and already appealed to the deputy commissioner on directing coast guards or pollution board officials to take remedial measures.

Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil clarified that tar balls on the beaches were not the result of oil spillage from the ships sailing in the sea. He said he had spoken to Deputy Inspector General S S Dasila, Commander, Coast Guard (Karnataka) as ICG is the nodal agency to look into the issue of oil spillage.
Karnataka State Fisheries Development Corporation (KSFDC) former president Ramachandra Baikampadi said this is the fishing season and the tar balls washing up ashore results in the migration of fish population making it worse for fishermen, who end up getting a meager catch.