Bangladeshi fly ash barge capsizes near Kakdwip
The incident, which unfolded on Thursday evening, intensified overnight and raised fears of the barge capsizing by Friday morning.
The barge, named 'Sohag-Malati', was carrying fly ash from Budge Budge, en route to Bangladesh, when the mishap occurred between Kakdwip and Namkhana.
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It might pose a significant ecological threat, as fly ash — a fine particulate byproduct of burning coal — contains toxic heavy metals that can severely damage the river's aquatic ecosystem if spilled.
There were eight crew members on board at the time, including the master, driver, helmsman, and deckhands. They were promptly rescued and transferred to another barge from the same agency, named 'Sultan-Sanjit', averting human casualties. The barge began to list dangerously to one side by Friday morning. As a temporary measure, it was towed toward a shallow sandbar to prevent it from sinking completely. "We are keeping a close watch on the development.
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We have alerted authorities against any spillage of fly ash into the water," said Satinath Patra, of the fishermen's association.
A team of marine engineering experts from Kolkata rushed to the spot and assessed the situation. According to initial reports, an emergency unloading operation was planned. The experts confirmed that fly ash would not be dumped into the river but would instead be transported to an alternative dumping site to prevent contamination.
Repair work on the vessel will begin once unloading is complete.
The alert was first raised by the barge's driver, Mohammad Omed Ali, who noticed the crack and the influx of water. This is not the first such incident. Just five months ago, a similar mishap occurred near Ghoramara Island, when another barge started sinking after a hull breach. Environmentalists have expressed concern about the increasing frequency of such events and called for stricter regulations and emergency response preparedness.
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