Mangaluru: Coast Guard conduct pollution response exercise

MANGALURU: The first edition of the state level pollution response exercise for the year to validate and reinforce response mechanisms for oil pollution incidents and enable the Indian Coast Guard to fine-tune the actions required in such eventualities was conducted at No 3 Headquarters, Coast Guard, on Thursday. NMPT, MRPL, IOCL and other stakeholders took part in the exercise.
The exercises were conducted in two phases.During phase one, a tabletop exercise simulating oil spill from a tanker was conducted, while a real-time demonstration of oil spill scenario was conducted during the second phase on Friday.
The exercise evolutions included mobilisation of pollution response resources by various stakeholders for combating a marine oil spill in the region, exercising reporting procedures, testing of communication links, threat assessment, search and rescue of distressed crew from the sea, firefighting assistance to disabled merchant tankers and deployment of pollution response equipment for containment and recovery of spilt oil. Moreover, recovery of spilt oil by all stakeholders, transfer of recovered oil to barges for transportation to port or shore reception facility by pollution control boats and demonstration of dispersant spray capabilities by the Coast Guard interceptor boats, offshore patrol vessels and fast patrol vessels were also done.
The inaugural address was delivered by DIG S B Venkatesh, district commander of Karnataka. He said that efforts were made with the synergy of stakeholders through such exercises to extend the Centre’s policy of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan‘ to maritime zones of India through ‘Swachh Sagar Abhiyan’.