Even if Sri Lanka gets $100 billion as compensation the amount can’t compensate the environmental damage, Sri Lankan Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said on the incident of fire on MV-X pearl ship. The ship, berthed off Colombo, that caught fire two weeks ago has done great damage to the marine environment. 

"Investigations should be carried out into the cause of the fire and against those who allowed the ship to enter Sri Lankan waters.  Also, action should be taken to punish the persons irrespective of their rank," Amaraweera was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror. 

The ship, owned by a Singapore-based company, containing dangerous chemicals and oil containers sunk on Wednesday off the Sri Lankan coast. 

Efforts are now on preventing or mitigating the possible oil leak from the sunken ship, he informed. “If an oil spill occurs, it will cause massive environmental damage," he added. 

In the wake of several incidents of ships burning off its coast recently, the Sri Lankan government is now planning to obtain facilities and equipment that the country should have to prevent further shipwrecks in the future. 

Sri Lankan President has been monitoring the situation closely and taking regular expert opinion on how to mitigate further damage. 

The incident has affected scores of daily fishermen on Sri Lanka’s Uswetakeiyawa coast. Last week, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had visited the coast and ordered officials to provide immediate relief to the fishermen. 

(SAM)