UDF government will scrutinise steps taken by previous LDF government in MSC Elsa 3 disaster, says V.D. Satheesan

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has said that the State government intended to take up the issue of the environmental damage caused by the MSC Elsa 3 shipping disaster very seriously.

The government would scrutinise the measures taken by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government . If needed, the government would amend the admiralty suit filed by the State government in court claiming compensation for the environmental and economic damages caused by the incident, Mr. Satheesan said after a special Cabinet meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (May 25, 2026).

The Chief Minister’s remarks on the issue came on the first anniversary of the shipping disaster.

The container-laden MSC Elsa 3 had listed to one side and sank around 14.6 nautical miles off the Kerala coast over May 24 and May 25, 2025. With the wreckage yet to be removed, there is now renewed concern over further environmental pollution once the seas turn rough during the southwest monsoon season. Mr. Satheesan said the incident had caused serious environmental impact as well as losses to the fishing community.

Fuel price hike

The Chief Minister said that the government was closely monitoring the fuel price hike and its possible impact on the common man. The repeated hikes in fuel prices are preventing the State government from finalising a decision. The Finance department is closely watching the developments and the government would take a decision once a clear picture emerges on the hike, what would be the tax revenue from it and the impact on the common man, he said.

Mr. Satheesan described the recent bureaucratic reshuffle as a temporary administrative arrangement. The State faced a shortage of IAS officers and the government was in the process of rationalising the deployment of officials based on the needs of departments. Relevant decisions will be finalised in the Cabinet and by the General Administration department. Mr. Satheesan was responding to questions regarding dissatisfaction in the Cabinet over the recent reshuffle.

The Chief Minister denied that his recent visit to the Guruvayur temple had inconvenienced other devotees. The Chief Minister said that he was accompanied by just four people. He had also entered the temple purchasing a ₹1,000 ticket, Mr. Satheesan said.

Cabinet decisions

Monday’s special Cabinet meeting gave its nod for the policy speech to be made by the Governor in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on May 29. It also approved the decision to appoint Apu John Joseph as Government Chief Whip in the Assembly.

K.C. Vincent will be the new Additional Advocate General. T. Asaf Ali, who was appointed Director General of Prosecution, will also be the Lok Ayukta Special Attorney and the State Public Prosecutor.

The Cabinet also decided to convene a high-level meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday in connection with the preparations for the monsoon season, Mr. Satheesan said. The meeting will be held online.