THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After ravaging the southern coast with plastic debris, pollutants from the sunken cargo vessel MSC ELSA 3 have now seeped into Kerala’s fragile backwater ecosystems. Sacks of plastic pellets have surfaced along the Karichal backwaters, near the estuary connecting Adimalathura and Pulluvila beaches, signalling a worrying spread from coastline to inland waters.
The Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3, which capsized 14.6 nautical miles off Thottappally, was carrying 18 containers of plastic pellets, according to the official cargo inventory. The Kerala government has already declared the incident a state-specific disaster.
“The sacks were likely pushed into the backwaters by high tide,” said Rethin Antony, Karungulam panchayat member. “During monsoon, seawater carries all kinds of waste inland. This time, it brought pollution.”
Clean-up efforts have come under severe criticism from fishermen and marine conservationists, who say the private firm handling the operation is resorting to haphazard methods. “Workers are using their footwear to scoop up pellets and ignoring other debris like thermocol and packaging waste,” said Jackson Thumbakaran, a local fisherman and activist. “We’ve collected 60–70 unopened sacks on Thumba Beach and won’t hand them over until proper clean-up is ensured.”
Robert Panipilla, of Friends of Marine Life, warned that the infiltration into inland waters represents an escalation of environmental damage. “This is no longer a beach pollution issue — it’s now a deepening ecological crisis. The cleanup has been superficial and ineffective.”
As pellet-laden waves continue to reach Kerala’s shores and backwaters, fisherfolk remain the worst hit, their livelihood and environment both endangered.