A team of scientists from The Energy and Research Institute – TERI is all set to clean up the oil spill caused by the collision of two merchant vehicles off the Mumbai coast on August 7. The research team headed by TERI’s Director, Dr Banwari Lal, which is currently examining the site with the help of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board – MPCB has suggested the use of ‘Oil Zapper,’ a cocktail of oil sucking bacteria to clean up the Mumbai coastline. Speaking to AIR Mumbai Correspondent, Dr. Lal explained that through this process called bioremediation, microbes which eat and digest oil will be sprayed on the affected sea line. He further explained that sand affected by oil spill would be dumped into large pits covered with high density polythene sheets wherein these microbes would be sprinkled. He added that the process that is expected to begin by Wednesday will take about two months to completely neutralise the oil. He assured that this technology does not have any side effects. Meanwhile, the microbes have been dispatched from Delhi and expected to reach Mumbai tomorrow.Dr. Lal further informed that due to constant high and low tides, the oil that rubs the sand and mangroves along the coast is causing huge damage to the surroundings. He added that after the initial inspection TERI has seen vast amount of mangroves and sea fauna that have completely been destroyed. Dr. Lal also informed that Bombay Natural History Society – BNHS will also help TERI in this project. TERI will undertake this project free of cost.