Adaikalanathan fears for Northern fishing industry from toxic chemicals leaked by fire-stricken vessel

TNA MP Selvam Adaikalanathan on Thursday requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take steps to prevent dangerous chemicals released by MV X-PRESS PEARL from reaching the seas off the Northern Province.

MP Adaikalanathan said that the chemicals could reach Jaffna via Mannar. The MP added that the debris and chemicals currently floating off Negombo could soon reach Mannar and Jaffna and that would affect the fisheries industry in the North.

The TNA MP said that people in the Western Province had already been affected and he blamed the government for having allowed the vessel into Sri Lankan territorial waters.