Coast Guard asks BARC not to use sea water

The Indian Coast Guard asked the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) not to use sea water for its facilities in wake of the oil spill following collision of two vessels off the Mumbai coast.

BARC uses sea water for its two research reactors--Dhruva and Cirus--for cooling purposes. "We have asked BARC not to use sea water for any of their facilities as it is polluted with oil spill from vessels after a collision on Saturday," a senior Coast Guard official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"Sea

water should not be used for cooling as oil spill has reached the beaches of Alibag, Marva, Sewree and Elephanta Caves besides the Mumbai mangroves," the official said. Meanwhile, BARC sources said the two research reactors are currently operating and scientists are constantly monitoring the water physically and scientifically before using it for cooling.

Two Panamanian cargo ships-- MSC Chitra and Merchant Vessel Khalija -- had collided off the Mumbai coast on August 7, causing an oil-spill from one of the vessels.