The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully conducted the 10th edition of the National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) off the coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, recently.

• This biennial flagship exercise aimed to evaluate India’s preparedness for marine oil spill incidents and enhance inter-agency coordination under the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) framework.

Key Highlights

• Participants: Over 105 national delegates and 40 foreign observers from 32 countries representing ministries, ports, oil agencies, and maritime organizations.
• Supervision: The event was chaired by DG Paramesh Sivamani, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard and Chairperson of NOSDCP.
• Objective: To test India’s pollution response efficiency, validate operational readiness, and strengthen inter-agency cooperation.

Operational Demonstrations

• ICG deployed a range of Pollution Control Vessels (PCVs), Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), and Chetak & Dornier aircraft for pollution containment and aerial surveillance.
• For the first time, a shoreline clean-up drill was conducted at Marina Beach, led by the Greater Chennai Corporation, TNPCB, and State Disaster Management Authority.
• Simulated an oil spill emergency, integrating central and state agencies for coordinated environmental response.

Recent Developments

• The 27th NOSDCP Preparedness Meeting (2025) was held alongside NATPOLREX-X in Chennai, focusing on:
  • Technology integration for spill detection and recovery.
  • Indigenous manufacturing of pollution response equipment under Make in India.
  • Climate-resilient strategies for marine ecosystem protection.

MCQ

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding NATPOLREX-X 2025:

1. NATPOLREX-X is conducted annually by the Indian Navy to assess coastal pollution response readiness.
2. The 2025 edition included the first-ever shoreline clean-up drill at Marina Beach, Chennai.
3. It is conducted under the framework of the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: (b)

Q2. With reference to the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP), consider the following statements:

1. The NOSDCP was first approved in 1986 and is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
2. The Indian Coast Guard serves as the Central Coordinating Authority for oil spill response under NOSDCP.
3. Four Pollution Response Centres operate under the plan in Mumbai, Chennai, Vadinar, and Port Blair.
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: (b)

SOURCE