Marine Pollution Response
- India is a
party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) and has an obligation to protect and preserve the
marine environment. The 42nd amendment to the
Constitution of India obliges the State to endeavour to protect
and improve the environment. This plan is a measure of
fulfilment of the obligation on the State under the Law of the
Sea Convention and the Constitution of India. The
responsibility for coordination of marine oil spills at sea
was transferred to the Coast Guard from the Directorate General
of Shipping on 07 March 1986. Consequent to the transfer of
responsibility, a draft National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency
Plan (NOS-DCP) was prepared by the Coast Guard and was approved
by the Committee of Secretaries on 04 November 1993.
The
responsibilities of the the Coast Guard organisation include
matters related to:
- Central
Coordinating Agency for combating oil pollution in various
maritime zones.
- Implementation
of national contingency plan for oil spill disaster.
- Surveillance
of maritime zones against oil spills.
- Combating
oil spills in various maritime zones except within
jurisdiction of ports and oil installations.
- Undertaking
oil spill prevention and control, inspection of ships
(except within ports) and offshore platforms in the country.
