Coast Guard continues to monitor sunken vessel off Mangaluru coast
Mangaluru, Jun 25: Officials of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) continued to monitor the situation around the grounded merchant ship MV Princess Miral off the Ullal shore near here for any probable leakage of oil from the ship.
Along with the district administration and other stakeholders, coordination is being done for the shoreline clean-up in case of any oil spill, an ICG release here said on Saturday.
Constant surveillance has been undertaken by Coast Guard aircraft and ships in the area around the vessel and onshore for pollution response since June 21 after the vessel ran aground.
A fully equipped pollution control vessel, ICGS Samudra Pavak from Porbandar, arrived on Saturday morning off New Mangalore and joined the pollution response operation at sea along with ICG ships and aircraft.
As of date, nine ICG ships and resource agencies and three Coast Guard aircraft are on task for assessment and monitoring the sea area off New Mangalore.
These assets are continuing the necessary preventive measures. Nethravati river is in close proximity of the vessel, which is grounded close to shore, therefore as a precautionary measure, the river mouth has been barricaded from the seaward side using inflatable booms so as to prevent containment of the river in case of any leakage of oil from the ship.
Coast Guard pollution response team and experts are continuously analysing the situation and also assisting the state administration and New Mangalore Port authorities by conducting pollution response operation and shoreline clean-up training sessions and mock drills, the release said.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
