The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) to cooperate on the issue of oil and chemical pollution in the South Asian Seas region.
As per an official release, the MoU aims to seek cooperation between India and other maritime nations including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan to protect and preserve marine environment in the South Asian region.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is assigned to be the Competent National Authority and national operational contact point for implementation of "Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan" under the MoU.
The Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan was made to facilitate international co-operation and mutual assistance in preparing and responding to a major oil pollution incident in the seas around the Maritime States of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The ICG is also assigned to report about an incident of oil or chemical spills on behalf of the Union government.
Further, the ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres have been designated as the national emergency response centre for marine incidents.
The South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme was signed in 1982 by the governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to enhance the environmental conditions in the South Asian region.
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