The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) convened the 26th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) meeting here today to assess and strengthen the country’s preparedness for managing oil spill incidents in its maritime zones. It was chaired by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani, who also serves as the Chairperson of NOSDCP.
In his opening address,Sivamani reaffirmed the Indian Coast Guard’s commitment to addressing regional threats, particularly marine oil and chemical spills, which pose significant risks to India’s vast coastline, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities. He emphasized the importance of improving collaboration among various stakeholders, including central agencies, coastal states, ports, and industry players, to enhance preparedness and response capabilities.
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The DG further highlighted the increasing volume of oil imports and the growing movement of chemicals and hazardous materials through Indian waters, driven by the country’s rapid economic growth. This uptick in maritime traffic underscores the need for robust measures to safeguard the environment, tourism, and local populations from the potential impacts of oil spills.
The meeting focused on bolstering coordination between different agencies and adopting emerging technologies to improve oil spill response efforts. The Coast Guard stressed the need for continuous updates to contingency plans and best practices to ensure the protection of India’s marine resources and coastal zones from the growing challenges posed by maritime incidents.
