Gujarat panel to check recurrence of oil spill

Gujarat panel to check recurrence of oil spill
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

GANDHINAGAR, DEC 8: The state Government has decided to set up a high-level committee to suggest measures to check recurrence of oil spills in the National Marine Park off Jamnagar coast.

It has also requested the Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography and the Oil Safety Directorate, attached to the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, to conduct a detailed study of the recent oil spills off the Vadinar coast and ascertain the damage, if any, to marine life.

Forest and Environment Minister Kanjibhai Patel said the committee will be headed by Principal Secretary P Basu and advise the Government on whether it should allow other private companies to set up oil refineries in the ecologically fragile coastal zone stretching from Dwarka to Jodiya in Jamnagar district in view of the recent oil spills.

Besides, the committee will explore the possibility of creating separate funds for strengthening the existing mechanism to maintain the ecological balance and augment the staff at the Marine NationalPark for effective monitoring of operations by IOC and other agencies off the Jamnagar coast.

Chief Wildlife Warden G A Patel said the committee will chalk out a comprehensive management plan to protect the marine park and sanctuary after the National Institute of Oceanography and the Oil Safety Directorate had completed a study on the impact of the recent oil slick on marine life.

Patel said the State Forest Department had, on December 2, allowed the IOC to resume operations in the national interest as suspension of operations could have adversely affected crude oil supply to the Mathura and Panipat refineries.

He said the IOC had set up two single buoy moorings (SBMs) off the Jamnagar coast, while Reliance Petroleum Limited proposes to have one more SBM in addition to the existing two. Essar and Bharat Oman Refineries Limited have also applied for setting up SBMs off the Jamnagar coast, which is under consideration. Patel, however, declined to comment on the BORL project, saying ``the matter issub-judice, as a public interest litigation against the project is pending in the High Court''.

Meanwhile, the authorities have launched a search for IOC officials S P Saxena and S S Chorasiya in connection with the recent oil spills following rejection of their bail application by the Jamnagar District and Sessions Court yesterday.