Fly ash barge drowns

A Bangladeshi barge carrying around 60 tonnes of fly ash sank in the Hooghly, near Budge Budge, on Thursday apparently after the engine developed a snag during high tide.

The Anmona-2, which was returning to Bangladesh with fly ash from the CESC plant in Budge Budge, has been tied away from the navigational channel, about 60 feet from the bank.

Inland Water Authority of India officials said this was the third instance of a fly ash-laden vessel sailing between India and Bangladesh going under the Hooghly water.

“There is no casualty. Work is on to restore the barge which may take a week,” said M.K. Saha, the regional director of the IWAI. Has the fly ash or engine oil spilled into the river? Saha said: “I cannot comment about the pollution aspect... An inquiry is on.”

The CESC authorities have sent a report to the state pollution control board, saying the Anmona-2 belonged to Merlin Vinimay Pvt Limited of Bangladesh. The report, which cited an engine malfunction and high tide as the reasons for the mishap, mentioned that Anmona-2 had been certified by the Bangladeshi and Indian authorities.

“We will impose stricter norms on barges,” said Biswajit Mukherjee of the pollution control board.

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