Nagapattinam oil leak: Fishermen to hold ‘road roko’ on March 8

The fishermen of Nagapattinam will hold a ‘road roko campaign on March 8 in protest against the oil spill in Nagapattinam. While the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) officials have plugged the oil leak in its underground pipeline, the fishermen are protesting demanding the removal of these pipelines from the Nagapattinam sea. The oil spill was detected by fishermen on March 2 in the sea at the Nagapattinam coast and when informed, the officials of CPCL conducted an inspection and found a leak in the 9 km pipeline off the Nagapattinam coast in Pattimancherry, which is a fisherman hamlet. The leak was plugged on Sunday (March 5) evening after the workers of the CPCL carried out repairs for three continuous days. The fishermen leaders announced a ‘road roko’ agitation on March 8 after continuous protest since March 2, and abstained from fishing for the fourth consecutive day on Monday. Nagapattinam district collector, Arun Thamburaj, has conducted an inspection at the spot and told mediapersons that CPCL had plugged the leak on Sunday and has been instructed not to pump oil till further information. Even as the fishermen of Pattimancherry have announced a road roko on March 8, the revenue and fisheries department will be conducting a peace meeting with the protesting fishermen. While hundreds of litres of crude oil were pumped into the sea from the CPCL, the officials said that it was a minor leak and was plugged on Sunday evening.