Weeks after MSC ELSA 3 shipwreck, TVM beaches still littered with plastic pellets

Thiruvananthapuram: Container waste and plastic pellets from the Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 that sank off the Kochi coast on May 25 continue to wreak havoc along the district's coastal stretches. Fishing workers complain that their nets are frequently getting damaged by plastic waste entangled in them. The pellets that washed up on several shores are yet to be fully removed.

Papanasam Beach, Edava, and the Vettoor panchayat coastline within Varkala municipal limits have been among the worst affected. Although a coastal cleaning campaign was launched jointly by the municipality and local panchayats, the effort remains incomplete. The Kudumbashree Mission, under the supervision of the District Collector, also carried out cleanup drives in Edava and Vettoor.

At Kovalam beach, the collection of plastic granules is ongoing. Fire force and civil defence volunteers are jointly removing the pellets from various beaches. Sand mixed with plastic granules is being collected and cleaned at Kovalam Light House, Hawa, and Grove beaches. The sand, packed in sacks and stored at the parking centre, is being transported whenever a sufficient load is gathered.

It has also been observed that many plastic granules have sunk to the seabed. With rough seas, fresh waves of pellets continue to wash ashore. Fishing workers at Vizhinjam report that plastic barrels from the sunken vessel have damaged their nets during deep-sea fishing. They have filed a complaint with the Vizhinjam Coastal Police, and authorities have taken follow-up action.