Rush to fish out B’deshi vessel to avert fly ash spill in Muriganga
Times of India | 24 January 2026
Kolkata: Amid growing concerns over fly ash pollution, authorities have intensified efforts to recover Bangladeshi barge MV Tamjeed Nasir, which sank on a sandbar in the Muriganga river. The vessel carried a large consignment of fly ash when it went down on Wednesday.
Two specialised engineering and salvage teams are assessing various recovery methods to determine how the vessel could be recovered with minimum ecological damage. Fly ash from Indian power plants have been transported to Bangladesh for over two decades now. "Large vessels usually carry up to 1,500 tonne fly ash. MV Tamjeed Nasir is a smaller vessel, with a capacity of around 650–700 tonne," said a member of the salvage team..
Police deployed strict surveillance in the area to ensure that no fly ash is deliberately released into the river.
Fisherfolk and environmental experts warned of serious consequences if the salvage is delayed. Satinath Patra, secretary of the Fishing Organisation of Kakdwip, said prolonged exposure would severely affect fish populations. "Fish density will fall, directly impacting small-scale fishermen. Mangrove ecosystems will also be at risk," he said.
Dr Debasis De, principal scientist and head of Kakdwip Research Centre under ICAR–Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture said fly ash blocks sunlight, disrupts plankton photosynthesis, deposits heavy metals on the riverbed, and gradually enters the food chain posing serious ecological and health threats.