Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today inspected the Indian Coast Guard sixth strategic National Pollution Response Exercise (Natpolrex-6) in the Gulf of Kutch near Mundra, the first ever such exercise carried out along coastline of Gujarat. Such exercises are on the 1,600-km long coastline of India for the last six years.

Speaking at the function, he extended full cooperation to convert the Coast Guard exercise into ‘Clean Ocean’ exercise, like the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachch Bharat Abhiyan as a mass campaign to cleanse the mainland.

The Chief Minister said the Coast Guard is playing a vital role in checking pollution from oil spills and other wastes as well as preserving marine life. He also listed the Gujarat Government’s contribution to the Central Government’s ‘Sagarmala Project’ for the development of ports.

The Gulf of Kutch spread over 7,300 sq km imports 74 per cent of the country’s mineral oil, anchors 11 out of total 27 moorings in the country for Reliance and Essar oil refineries, harbours major seaports like Kandla and Mundra and mangroves and coral islands.

Nearly 250 sailors, airmen and jawans took part in the three hours joint exercise as to how to check fire in oil spill spread and rescue people by the Navy, Air Force and Army. There were two pollution control vessels, two offshore petrol vessels, two interceptor boats, two fast patrolling boats, two aircrafts of the Air Force and one helicopter, especially during high tidal waves.

The exercise was witnessed by security officials of Australia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. From the India side were present Director General Rajendra Singh, Dy Director-General Natarajan and officers of Oil Companies.

– Information