Karnataka   

Joint report on ore vessel sought

Special Correspondent

PANAJI: Dilapidated ore vessel M.V. River Princess, anchored off the famous Sinquerim coast, will continue to haunt coastal tourism of north Goa at least for four more months.

Come November, it will be another tourist season in Goa. Fearing damage to the coast, the tourism industry is after the Government to ensure that the vessel is moved away at the earliest.

While “in principle” agreeing for extension of time to salvagers beyond the current monsoon for the removal of the vessel which has been there for the past six years, the Goa Government on Thursday sought a detailed joint report from salvagers and consultants by Tuesday on the realistic cost projection as well as new deadline.

Gujarat-based Jaisu Shipping Co. Pvt. Ltd. has been assigned the contract to tow-away the vessel, while experts from Mumbai-based Indian Registrar of Shipping (IRS) have been roped in as consultants by the Goa Government. After a review meeting of the State Government Committee headed by him, which met on Thursday, Chief Secretary J.P. Singh told The Hindu that the salvagers had stated that they had spent Rs.3 crore on labour and equipment involved in the salvage operation and argu ed that the work got delayed on account of a major damage in the vessel.

Stating that they may need to undertake some dredging along the coast, they had indicated that it may not be possible to tow-away the vessel even by October 15. As per the global contract accorded to the party earlier, the vessel had to be removed before the current monsoon, he said.

After a recommendation by the consultants endorsing the work done by the salvagers and issues raised by them at the meeting, the committee asked them to submit a joint report, spelling out a “realistic estimate of the likely expenditure and a categorical statement about the fresh deadline for completing the task,” Mr. Singh said.

Based on the report, the committee would recommend to the Government on extension of time schedule for the salvagers.

The ore carrier, which ran aground some 150 metres off Sinquerim beach along the north Goa coastline in June 2000 on a stormy night, is feared to cause ecological havoc apart from damaging the tourism prospects.

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