123 Kolkata: The Bangladeshi barge, Sea Wald, that has been stranded in the channel off Ghoramara Island after its hull cracked when it ran aground on a sandhead on Feb 13, was finally towed to Lot 8 in Namkhana on Friday.
The vessel departed during peak tide, initially planning to dock at Namkhana Ghat. However, plans changed, and at 12.15 pm, M Garai and its companion vessel transported the fly ash-laden ship to Lot 8, situated 5 km from Ghoramara.
While the cracked hull was welded at the site so that it did not split while being salvaged, the second phase of repairs will be carried out in shallower waters at Namkhana. The vessel's journey to Bangladesh will resume only after completing welding work and engine repairs.
On Feb 13, the barge nearly split in two after striking a sandhead near Sagar Island while en route to Bangladesh, carrying fly ash from Budge Budge. Environmental activists were prepared to stage a demonstration, citing concerns about the potential devastating effects of fly ash and ship oil contaminating river water. Local fishermen expressed anxiety about potential fishing restrictions in the affected area.
Sagar BDO Kanaya Kumar Rai said, "We had requested that the barge be removed from there as quickly as possible. They finally removed it on Friday."
Maritime specialists expressed concerns about water pollution in both sea and river. A team formed by the National Green Tribunal is expected to visit the accident site to check if there is any environmental damage.
Administrative pressure mounted to relocate the barge swiftly. The ship's management opted to conduct repairs locally rather than in Bangladesh, with engineers performing welding operations during low tide to prevent water ingress at the accident site.
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