27 May 2021 05:46 pm Views - 3462
While saying that many plastic materials are seen scattered along the beach with the debris received from the X-Press Pearl ship , Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura said there is a possible threat on people that if fish species in the breading areas swallow those plastic pebbles, those plastics could directly come to us.
"However, if these plastic pebbles break into microplastics, the situation will be more serious," she said
"There could be a huge impact for both Marine and coastal environments with the debris from the X-Press Pearl ship, which caught fire near the Colombo Harbor," she added.
She expressed these views during an inspection visit to the beach area in Negombo today.
"Though the beach area from Dikovita up to Negombo was polluted with debris yesterday, we found the waste up to Angulana today. Yesterday we identified seven highly polluted areas and already deployed more than 900 tri-forces official to clean those areas and as well as to get an assessment of the environmental pollution caused to the area extending to Moratuwa from Wellawatte," she added.
The Chairperson said the impact caused by the ship would be very huge because the area from Uswetakeiyawa to Negombo considered as high fish breeding areas.
"We have already taken water and sand samples to estimate the marine pollution and conducted an air quality monitoring," she said
"At the moment the MEPA is observing long term impact from the debris, the Chairperson added. (Chatuanga Samarawickrama)