6 days ago
Govt sets up panels to oversee wreckage effect
Thiruvananthapuram: Following the decision to declare MSC ELSA 3 sinking just 14.6 nautical miles off Kochi coast as state-specific disaster, a comprehensive multi-tiered institutional mechanism was set in motion to address and mitigate the wreckage consequences.
The decision was made considering its potentially grave environmental, social and economic impact.
Govt designated secretary, department of science and technology, as principal advisor to the environment department. Kerala state disaster management authority (KSDMA) member is working in association with special secretary of environment department to provide guidance on pollution control and eco-restoration strategies.
Simultaneously, special secretary, environment department, was appointed as principal impact assessment officer, with the authority to initiate and oversee all procedures for sectorwise impact assessment, restoration and remediation in coordination with scientific institutions and experts.
A multidisciplinary team chaired by special secretary, environment department, will include specialists and officials from fisheries, tourism, harbour engineering, ports, industries and commerce, agriculture, water resources and local self-govt departments.
This team is tasked with conducting detailed studies and coordinating field-level interventions.
To institutionalise the response further, govt established a two-tier committee structure at both state and district levels. The state level committee, chaired by secretary, science & technology department, comprises the commissioner of disaster management, special secretary and director of environment department, chairperson of the Kerala state pollution control board, representatives from Indian Coast Guard and National Centre for Earth Science Studies and member secretary of KSDMA, and director of environment department will be the convener.
This committee is responsible for issuing policy directives, advisories and resource support for district-level interventions and coordinating assessment studies.
The district level committee, chaired by respective district collectors, includes joint director of local self-govt department, deputy director of fisheries, port officer, district agriculture officer, and district hazard analyst will act as convener.
This committee is empowered to undertake immediate actions, including removal of debris from drifting containers and contaminated cargo along the coast and implementing protective measures against water pollution caused by hazardous materials or oil spills.
Meanwhile, govt initiated consultations with the shipping company MSC to negotiate a financial package that will aid the state in damage and risk assessment, management and formulation of compensation mechanisms.
For this, a high-level committee was constituted with additional chief secretary of finance department as chairperson. Other members include additional chief secretary of local self-govt, principal secretaries of revenue & disaster management, industries and agriculture departments, secretary of environment department, and member secretary of KSDMA will be convener and nodal contact with MSC.
This financial negotiation committee will also function as the oversight committee for the state-level committee. It will supervise the development of both rapid and long-term frameworks for assessing damage and implementing remediation measures.
