Kolkata: The Bangladeshi barge ‘Suhan-Malati', carrying fly ash, started capsizing near Kakdwip on Friday morning and is almost 80% submerged in the Muriganga river. Efforts to unload the fly ash have begun.

A team of engineers inspected the ship on Saturday and stated that the internal fly ash must be removed swiftly to facilitate repairs. However, the unloading process is repeatedly hindered by high tide.The barge was carrying fly ash from Budge Budge en route to Bangladesh on Thursday evening when it developed a crack in its hull. "Although nothing is being forcibly dumped into the river, the submerged ship makes water pollution inevitable. This will pose a threat to those fishing nearby with small boats, as fish density will decrease," said Sundarban Marine Fishermen's Union Secretary, Satinath Patra. Ex-Pro-VC and head of chemical engineering at JU, Prof Siddhartha Dutta, said fly ash contains heavy metals in both soluble and insoluble forms and that contact with it can cause skin diseases in humans.