# The Regional Level Marine Oil Pollution Response Exercise
# Conducted by INDIAN COAST GUARD(ICG)
# Held @ sea off PORT BLAIR
# OBJECTIVE : Assertain preparedness of ICG in response to oil spills
BACKGROUND
The Great Channel between the Nicobar Islands and Northern Sumatra that leads into the Malacca Straits is the Marine Drive of the high seas.
Almost 200 ships cross the 160-km wide Straits daily making it among the busiest sea routes of the world.
Considering the tanker traffic through this route, the area is highly vulnerable to oil spills.
In case of any spill due tanker accident, may cause irreversible harm to the flora & fauna causing imbalance to the bio diversity.
The exercise was therefore planned to evaluate the preparedness for Response Operations for any such oil pollution incident in this highly sensitive area
It is in line with the provisions of NOS-DCP (National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan).
REMEMBER :
ICG is responsible for marine environment protection in the maritime zones of India
It is the coordinating authority for response to oil spills in Indian waters.
The Force has drawn up a National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP)
and has established three pollution response centres at Mumbai, Chennai and Port Blair.