Coast Guard's 10th national pollution response exercise NATPOLREX-X held off Chennai
On 5â6 October 2025 off the coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the Indian Coast Guard held the 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) with the 27th NOSDCP meeting, attended by 40 foreign observers from 32 countries.
Summary
On 5â6 October 2025 off the coast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) along with the 27th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) and Preparedness Meeting. Forty foreign observers from 32 countries and over 105 national delegates attended. A highlight was the first-ever shoreline clean-up drill at Marina Beach, carried out by the Greater Chennai Corporation and other Tamil Nadu agencies. The exercise was overseen by ICG Director General and NOSDCP Chairperson Paramesh Sivamani. The ICG has protected India's marine environment since March 1986 and is the Central Coordinating Authority for oil spill response; the NOSDCP, drafted by the ICG, was approved in 1993, and the ICG runs four Pollution Response Centres at Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair and Vadinar.
Key facts
- Exercise
- NATPOLREX-X (10th) + 27th NOSDCP meeting â off Chennai, 5â6 Oct 2025
- Participation
- 40 foreign observers from 32 countries; 105+ national delegates
- First
- First-ever shoreline clean-up drill at Marina Beach
- NOSDCP
- Drafted by ICG; approved 1993
- PRCs
- Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair, Vadinar
- Overseen by
- DG ICG Paramesh Sivamani
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Which of the following is NOT one of the four Pollution Response Centres established by the Indian Coast Guard?
Show answer
Correct answer: D â Kochi
PIB: to operationalise the NOSDCP, the ICG has established four Pollution Response Centres at Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair and Vadinar.
Consider the following statements: 1. NATPOLREX-X, held off Chennai in October 2025, included the first-ever shoreline clean-up drill at Marina Beach. 2. The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) was approved in 2003. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: A â 1 only
Only 1 is correct. PIB: a key highlight was the first-ever shoreline clean-up drill at Marina Beach; the NOSDCP, drafted by the ICG, was approved in 1993.