NATPOLREX: Oil Spill Preparedness Exercise

• 20 Apr 2022

The eighth edition of National Level Pollution Response Exercise NATPOLREX was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Mormugao harbour in Goa.

• The event was attended by more than 85 participants from 50 agencies, including 29 observers from 22 friendly foreign countries and International Organisations, and two Coast Guard ships from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Objective

• The objective of NATPOLREX-VIII was to enhance the preparedness and response capability of all the stakeholders in combating marine spills.

Aim

• It aims at validating the procedures and guidelines as contained in the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP) at the national and regional levels under the aegis of SACEP MoU to which India is a member state.

Meeting Constitutional Mandate & International Laws

• 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 Forty-second 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.