The Director General, Coast Guard has advocated penalties for ships and vessels that spread pollution in the Indian waters. Presiding over a meeting on fighting oil spills in New Delhi today, Vice Admiral RF Contractor called for stringent implementation of pollution control measures in harbours and ports on the Indian coastline.
Admiral Contractor also expressed concern over the operation of ageing vessels that posed a threat to marine environment in Indian waters. As many as 18 ships have either sunk or been grounded along the Indian coast so far this year alone. He said the Indian Coast Guard would soon acquire three specialised, indigenously built pollution control vessels to tackle oil spills and other threats to marine ecology.
About 70 delegates from various Government departments, Ports, Oil Industry and Exploration Units and State Pollution Control Boards participated in the 10th National Oil Spill and Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) and Preparedness Meeting. It deliberated on working out synergies between various agencies and port authorities to build capacities to fight Oil spills of upto 700 tonnes. The Indian Coast Guard is the central coordinating agency for implementation of the NOSDCP. The Coast Guard has been holding regular exercises with various agencies to simulate Oil Spill Contingencies.
PK/RAJ
(Release ID :31043)