KOCHI: Almost five years after a decision was taken to prepare an oil spill contingency plan, the state is all set to get it done. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) recently invited bids for preparing the Kerala State Oil Spill (SOS) Contingency Plan (CP) for the shoreline clean-up.
As per the proposal, the plan will provide necessary instructions to the state government, district collectors, revenue authorities, KSPCB, maritime board, fisheries and forest departments, ports and other stakeholders regarding their role during an oil spill that washes ashore in the coastal areas.
Nine districts are oil spill-prone with 590km of coastline and a major oil refinery in Kochi which increase the vulnerability of the state. The oil tankers and ships visiting the ports pose a risk to coastline areas whenever these are involved in a fire incident, collision, allision (in which one vessel runs into another or into an object that isn’t in motion) and grounding. It was on June 16, 2016, that the additional chief secretary, environment, held a meeting in which it was decided that KSPCB in association with Coast Guard shall prepare an oil spill emergency plan.
“However, proposals received as part of the tendering earlier did not contain an elaborate plan. So, we wanted to have a plan that can match the existing National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. Now, a fresh tender has been invited and we are hoping for a contingency plan this time,” KSPCB chief engineer Sreekala S.
The contingency plan shall include mapping of the environmental sensitive index of oil spills on the coasts of Kerala and preparations of response following such accidents. It would contain elaborate guidelines -- from reporting the oil spill to cleaning of coastline after the incident. Similarly, there would be guidelines regarding awareness programmes for people residing in coastal areas to sue the people who cause the oil spill. The duration for preparing the contingency plan would be eight months.
“Like National Oil Contingency Plan, similar plans have to be formed at state and district levels. After forming the state oil spill contingency plan, district plans will be prepared. The coastline in each state and districts are different and we require dedicated plans,” Sreekala said.