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Grounded ship causes concern in Goa

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

A cargo ship, grounded off the Goan coast for over a month, is worrying the hotel industry in the north coastal belt as it has tilted.

"It a ticking time bomb," say hoteliers running five star hotels along the Sinquerim-Baga coast. "An oil spill could damage the whole beachline and affect marine life."

The Coast Guard, which normally rushes to arrest any kind of environmental damage, however appears cool stating that the ship contains only marginal oil.

The River Princess, owned by Salgaonkar Shipping, drifted from the Sinquerim beach in bad weather on June 6.

The Salgaonkars were planning to convert the 240 metre ore carrier into a transhipper. It had been anchored at the beach for one and a half years.

"We plan to salvage it after the monsoons in September. The ship is very strong and safe," says Anil Salgaonkar, chairman and managing director of Salgaonkar Shipping. He dismisses the fear of oil spillage claiming the ship does not contain any oil.

"Then why is the government not saying that the ship does not contain any oil", asks Arvind Chopra, general manager of Whispering Palms. Even the local panchayat's efforts to get the ship have failed in spite of approaching Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha.

"Besides ecological damage, the tourism industry will be hit. Even global tour operators have expressed concern over the matter," said Joaquim Monteiro, general manager of the Taj Holiday Village.

Salgaonkar says he is not prepared to tow away the ship in bad weather as it is not insured.

The Coast Guard, however, is prepared to get tugs to pull the ship out, but only if the state government takes the initiative.

The state authorities, however, are yet to take action. "We will approach the Coast Guard soon to get the tugs," says Sanjeev Khirwar, the North Goa collector.

"Salvage is possible even in this bad weather, but it may cost more than what the owners will recover by scrapping the vessel in its present location," feels Anil Madgaonkar, a well-known Goan ship salvager.

The hoteliers fear the ship has tilted due to a leakage. Salgaonkar disagrees. He says, "It is simply because the sand on one side below the ship has been washed away," he said.

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