The disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been a cause of worry for environmental experts around the world. There are worries that it might have long term repercussions on the eco-system in and around the sea.
Going by the preliminary reports, this concern looks quite legitimate. The reports have highlighted a dangerous threat to the animals that live around the bay area. According to an estimate, over 6000 birds have been killed due to one of the worst man-made environmental disasters ever. Thousands of other birds are still struggling with health problems after getting oil slicked in the water.
Even though, various NGOs have been trying to rehabilitate the affected birds, the scale of the disaster is too big to cope in short term. Besides birds, sea turtles and dolphins have also been the worst victims of the spill.
But what’s more shocking here is the complete amnesia that the US and international media seems to be going through regarding this problem. Up until September, when the oil was still leaking, the news was everywhere. TV, radio, internet and even twitter was ‘outraged’ by the extent of disaster.
But as soon as the leak was capped, the entire issue became yesterday’s news. There are no discussions or demands for stronger steps to save the wildlife of the region. Rather, there have been some sections who are criticizing President Obama for temporarily banning off-shore drilling. According to them, it has caused many people to lose their jobs!
The BP disaster did not end when the leak was plugged. It’s still going on. The oil is still in the ocean, ruining the ecosystem. The outrage against BP should not dry out. Rather, they must be asked to clean what they have spilled and show real commitment towards saving the environment.
I am appalled by the people who question the magnitude of this accident and say that it was exaggerated by the media. We spilled millions and millions of gallons of oil into the habitat of hundreds of species and they find it “exaggerated”.