Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari launches State-of-the –Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response for Mumbai and JNPT Harbour
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari Launching India’s first of its kind State-of-the-Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response Centre for Mumbai & JNPT Harbour in Mumbai today,5th June,2015.
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari said that economic development should go hand in hand with environment protection. Shri Gadkari was launching India’s first of its kind State-of-the –Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response for Mumbai and JNPT Harbour on the occasion of World Environment Day in Mumbai today.
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari addressing at the Launching of India’s first of its kind State-of-the-Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response Centre for Mumbai & JNPT Harbour in Mumbai today,5th June,2015.
The Minister said extreme approach to either development or environment is not helpful but there should be balance between two. He also said the 12 major ports in the country will generate 150 MW of green power through solar and wind energy. The Minister also said Sewerage from the city goes into the sea causing pollution, but we can use this waste to generate bio-gas that will run 2000 buses in the city. He said the government was acquiring the technology to undertake this exercise. Shri Gadkari also said that Dahanu port will be developed through land reclamation and forest land will not be disturbed for this project.
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Nitin Gadkari Observing a live demo by OSR Vessel No.2 at the Launching of India’s first of its kind State-of-the-Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response Centre for Mumbai & JNPT Harbour in Mumbai today,5th June,2015.
The Minister also said five crore trees will be planted along the National Highways of one lakh k.m. The upkeep of these plants by the farmers will give them additional income. Shri Arvind Sawant, MP and Shri Raj Purohit, MLA were also present on the occasion.
Brief Background:
Pursuant to the increase in the quantum of liquid bulk cargo (Crude and Petroleum, Oils & Lubricants (POL) products) handled at the ports, liquid bulk cargo handling Companies and the Ports decided to jointly participate in the efforts to combat Oil spills within the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) water limits, in compliance with the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan by equipping the ports with Tier-1 Oil Spill Response (OSR) capabilities to tackle oil spills upto 700 tonnes.
Accordingly, MbPT, JNPT and Participating Oil Companies (POCs) viz. ONGC, BPCL, HPCL, IOCL, Aegis Logistics Ltd., Tata Power, CTTL and RIL signed an MOU outsourcing setting up of Tier-1 Oil Spill Response (OSR) Facilities & Services in MbPT / JNPT.
The facility is funded by the POCs and MbPT has taken the responsibility for tendering and monitoring of Tier-1 OSR facility. Indian Coast Guard, the promulgator of the NOS-DCP, has brought all the stakeholders under one umbrella and rendered guidance and advice on technical matters viz., selection of OSR equipment, preparation of technical specifications, etc.
Objectives of Setting up Tier-1 OSR Facilities:
(a) To develop appropriate and effective systems for the detection and reporting of spillage of oil.
(b) To ensure prompt response to prevent, control, and combat oil pollution.
(c) To ensure adequate protection to the public health and welfare, and to the marine environment.
(d) To ensure that appropriate response techniques are employed to prevent, control, and combat oil pollution, and dispose off recovered material in an environmentally accepted manner.
(e) To ensure that complete and accurate records are maintained of all expenditure to facilitate recovery of cost.
