PANAJI
Almost a decade after releasing its first-ever State Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, the Goa government has constituted a State Oil Spill Crisis Management Group (SOS-CMG) under the Chief Secretary to implement the plan. The Group has to also address the issues surrounding oil spills and related pollution.
According to the notification issued by the Environment Department, the 40-member Group will facilitate the State’s preparedness and response to oil spill incidents and further effectively implement and execute the mandate of the Goa Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (GOA-SOS-DCP)- drafted by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in 2015.
The Group comprises secretaries of all the major government departments including Home, Revenue, Environment, Tourism, WRD, Health, PWD, Fisheries, Panchayat, Urban Development, and Industries, along with DIG Indian Coast Guard, Chairman MPT, Vice Chancellor Goa University, Director General of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries among others.
Environment Director Johnson Fernandes said that the Group will address issues related to oil spill management during, prior to and post oil spills, provide guidance and assist the State Government in managing oil pollution incidents at a site in the State.
The Group has to review the planning standards of GOA SOS-DCP at five-year intervals to ensure the maintenance of best achievable practices to respond to a worst-case spill, provide for and continuous operation of oil spill response activities to the maximum extent practicable and without jeopardizing safety and environment. The Group has to meet at least once every six months.
In 2015, Goa became the first State to release the State Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan aimed to enhance the state’s ability to respond to a spill and list the roles and responsibilities both preventive and during exigencies, of 30 agencies.
The plan aims at responding to any oil spills of any nature within 12 nautical miles (24 km) off Goa’s coastline and the riverine systems extending 40 km inland or till tidal effect is evident.
