♦ The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully conducted the 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) along with the 27th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) and Preparedness Meeting off the coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on October 5-6.

♦ The large-scale biennial exercise reaffirmed India’s commitment to safeguarding its marine environment and strengthening inter-agency coordination for effective oil spill management.

♦ The event saw participation from 40 foreign observers representing 32 countries and over 105 national delegates from central ministries, coastal states, ports, oil handling agencies, and maritime organizations.

♦ It was held under the overall supervision of Director General Paramesh Sivamani, Chairperson, NOSDCP, and Director General, Indian Coast Guard, who reviewed the operational readiness and inter-agency synergy during the drills.

♦ NATPOLREX-X was the first-ever shoreline clean-up drill conducted at Chennai’s Marina Beach, led by the Greater Chennai Corporation, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, State Disaster Management Authority, Police, and other local agencies.

♦ The exercise simulated a large-scale oil spill scenario and demonstrated an integrated multi-agency response to mitigate its environmental impact.