No cause of concern over oil spill, says Natarajan

Ruling out any cause of concern over the oil spill from a sunk cargo vessel off the Mumbai coast, Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan today asked the pollution authority to lift samples of the slick.

"I reviewed the matter with my officials in the ministry. At this point of time, we do not see a cause for concern," Natarajan told reporters outside Parliament.

"We are are constantly monitoring the situation. As far as exact facts are concerned, this is a matter which is being dealt by the Coast Guard," she said.

Oil spill from a cargo ship that sank off Mumbai four days back has affected the city with oil reaching the beaches and water near its shoreline.

Quoting Coast Guard reports, Natarajan said, "According to reports, oil is leaking about at the rate of one to two tons per hour. I have asked the local pollution control board to take samples. So far there is no cause of concern. There are some other reasons also for the oil presence in the water."

She said the Coast Guard has sprayed over 600 litres of aerosol to disperse the spill.

Local fisherman have also been given advisory due to bad weather to stay away from the sea till August 15, she said.