Mumbai: Tar balls washed up at Juhu beach

As if tonnes of plastic waste washed ashore along Juhu beach wasn't enough to put off tourists, huge amounts of greasy tar balls were found deposited along several stretches of the beach on Monday.

As per Juhu resident Reagan Creado who regularly walks on the beach it was a shocking sight. "Tar balls varying from the size of golf balls to the size of a fist could be seen all across the beach. The worst affected patch seemed to be the one starting from Sun and Sand hotel to Silver beach," he said.

Creado informed that the beach was also full of plastic trash strewn all along. "The tar balls and plastic have not been mixed yet but it might soon be mixed making the beach look even more dirtier and making cleaning process difficult,' he said.

Tar balls are lumps of solidified crude oil found in or on the sea that get washed up on the shore. As per experts tar ball pollution has severe consequences on not only destroying the scenic beauty of the beach but as it also threatens the marine life like crabs, shrimps and others species. This also happens to be an annual phenomenon beginning May and goes on till monsoon end.

DNA had recently reported about thick sticky tar balls and oil being washed ashore on several beaches including Dahanu, Kelva, Bordi along the north coastal Maharashtra and marine experts and activists claimed that this could be the result of the suspected oil spill being reported from Bombay high in Southern Gujarat.

EXTENT OF THREAT

• The tar balls vary from the size of golf balls to that of a fist
   
• The worst affected patch seemed to be the one between Sun and Sand hotel to Silver beach 
   
• Tar balls not only affect scenic beauty but also risk marine life