"SPILL COMB - 2002"

Conference on Oil Spill Combat and Emergency Response Plans

18th October 2002

Venue: Hotel Taj Residency-Ummed,
Ahmedabad.

Organized by:
 

Gujarat Maritime Board Sector 10-A, Opp: Air Force Station, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.	Forests & Environment Department Government of Gujarat, Block No 14, 8th floor, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

BACKGROUND:

Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) is the nodal agency responsible for facilitating port and other waterfront related infrastructure development and activities including safeguarding marine environment in the Gujarat state of India.

In its jurisdiction, GMB has 39 minor ports which together handle nearly 83% of the Indian marine cargo handled by the minor ports and generate substantial revenue for the state. The rapid growth in maritime trade of both solid and largely liquid cargo has led us to realize the importance of navigational safety, marine environment protection and preservation of marine flora and fauna. In fact, GMB while promoting the maritime development in the state has realized the pressing need of conservation of precious marine resources and sustainable development along the Gujarat coast.

OBJECTIVES:

With the above considerations in mind, GMB has drawn up its Oil Spill Contingency Plan for the ports in the region of Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, India. To make this plan more meaningful and action oriented and also to generate awareness about this critical issue, GMB and Forests and Environment Department, Government of Gujarat have planned to organize a conference on the subject wherein all-important aspects are to be discussed so that meaningful conclusions can be drawn to further consolidate the contingency plan. As disaster management is a team work, this conference will provide an opportunity for the resource agencies, experts, users and Statutory authorities to interact and share views and ideas which can really be of great help in further consolidation/improvement measures.