CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday held a detailed review of the ecological impact caused in coastal Tamil Nadu by the ELSA-III ship accident off the coast of Kerala.

In the meeting attended by Chief Secretary N Muruganandam and heads of various departments, Chief Minister Stalin advised the officials to closely monitor the movement of plastic pellets and containers and the coastal areas they could be washed ashore due to varying climatic conditions.

The CM also instructed district collectors to safely dispose of the plastic pellets with the support of volunteers and expedite the work by coordinating with the officers of the state police, fire department and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, besides issuing a safety advisory to the people, particularly fishermen.

Stalin also asked the officers of stakeholder departments to undertake short and long-term studies to assess the ecological impact of the ship incident, particularly its impact on marine ecology.

Assuring that no hazardous material has been washed ashore on the coast of Tamil Nadu, an official release circulated by the state government quoted the Chief Minister as saying that the people must immediately inform the district administration and the police if they spot any suspicious material in the sea or on the coast.

Exhorting the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority to closely monitor the situation, the Chief Minister said that the government would make all efforts to protect the lives and livelihood of the people.

The officers of various stakeholder departments detailed the Chief Minister regarding the actions being taken by their departments in TN coast vis-à-vis the ship incident.