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Model for better handling of oil spills

Special Correspondent

Chennai-based directorate designs this state-of-the-art model

NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal on Saturday unveiled a state-of-the art mathematical model that would make the Coast Guard, the ports and other authorities more effective in handling oil spill disasters in the seas around the country.

The model, developed by the Ministry's Chennai-based Directorate of Integrated Coastal Marine Area Management Project, would help the authorities assess better the likely movement of oil spills. It has been developed as part of the oil spill management programme of the Central Government. The model assumes importance as India faced a high risk of oil spills particularly as the western part of the Indian exclusive economic zone, and the Lakshadweep and Nicobar Islands lie close to one of the major oil tanker routes originating from the Gulf countries and going to South East Asia. Nearly 3,500 tankers pass through the route every year carrying a total of 500 million tonnes of crude oil.

In addition, Indian ports annually handle 112 million tonnes of oil, including the 22 million that is transported through pipelines from offshore platforms to refineries and storage tanks on land. Consequently, there is always a potential threat of oil spills because of operational reasons.

There have been 10 instances of major oil spills (1,000 tonnes or more) in the Indian waters over the past 12 years. The largest spills occurred in 1991 and 1993, when 40,000 tonnes of crude got spilt into the sea. While the 1991 spill occurred in the Mumbai High region, the 1993 spill occurred in the Nicobar-Sumatra region. Mr. Sibal said it would be able to provide a real-time assessment of the likely movement of any oil spill in the Indian waters.

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