Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Thursday announced cash relief of Rs 1,000 and 6 kg of rice to fishermen affected by the sinking of a Liberian-flagged vessel off the Kochi coast.The Chief Minister made this announcement at a press conference, stating that the assistance will be given to fishermen from the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam. He urged fishermen to refrain from fishing within 20 nautical miles of the wreck site.The state government has declared the wreckage of the ship MSC Elsa 3 a state-specific disaster. Currently, approximately 54 containers have washed ashore in various parts of Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram. All containers are currently under the custody of the Customs Department, and 20 of these have already been handed over.CM dismisses health concerns over consuming fishThe Chief Minister also dismissed health concerns over consuming fish caught from the ship wreckage area in the wake of fears regarding pollution. The containers that held calcium carbide were heavy and had sunk to the deeper parts of the sea. Therefore, there is no need for any concern and no reason to avoid the consumption of fish.Nurdles accumulateIn the Thiruvananthapuram district, small plastic particles known as nurdles have accumulated due to the crashing of containers. Efforts to clean the affected areas are underway, with police, SPC, Apda Mitra, and civil defense volunteers deployed along the affected coastal areas. A drone survey has already been completed in these locations.The MSC company has initiated discussions with the Kerala government to assess the environmental impact, job losses, and the potential drop in tourism related to the incident.The MSC Elsa sank on May 25, approximately 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottappally spillway. The ship was carrying a total of 643 containers, of which 73 were empty. Among the contents, 13 containers held calcium carbide, 46 contained plastic components known as Hydrazine, one contained a rubber compound, and others held wood, fruits, and cloth. It is estimated that around 100 containers may have fallen into the sea.
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