Bangla barge with fly ash sinks in Hooghly, raises green concerns
Times of India | 20 January 2025
Chinsurah: A Bangladeshi barge, A D Basiruddin Kaji, capsized in Hooghly near Bansberia on its way back to the neighbouring country after loading fly ash from Bandel Thermal Power Station (BTPS). Efforts are now underway to retrieve the submerged barge. Only the pilot's cabin is currently visible above the water surface. The crew members had heard a loud noise from the bottom of the barge, following which water gushed into the vessel.Bigg Boss Finale NewsBigg Boss 18 Grand Finale: Top 6 contestants to fight for the trophyBigg Boss Tamil 8 grand finale : Who will be winner of the show tonight?BB18: Chum Darang gets evicted from the showDespite attempts to manage the situation, the barge began to tilt and partially sank.
The crew alerted local authorities, prompting a recovery operation. On Sunday, a specialised team of labourers from Sandeshkhali arrived to assist in the removal of the fly ash cargo to reduce the ship's weight. The process is expected to take a week. Thereafter, repairs can be conducted to make the barge seaworthy again.
Experts, however, caution that damage may have already occurred to the environment. Fly ash, which contains heavy metals like lead, mercury, and copper, is a known pollutant. Fly ash is exported to Bangladesh for use in cement production. West Bengal is a key supplier of fly ash to Bangladesh.
However, accidents along this protocol river route are alarmingly frequent.
"On average, 7–10 capsizes occur annually along this route. Often, vessels are abandoned as recovery efforts cost more than the value of the ship itself," a researcher said. The environmental impacts of these accidents are significant. In 2016, a National Green Tribunal (NGT) committee assessed fly ash pollution at the Ennore Creek near the North Chennai Thermal Power Station. The study found heavy metals in water and aquatic life at levels far exceeding safety limits, leading to habitat loss and reduced mangrove cover.