India is in the process of acceding to important conventions like the Bunker Convention and OPRC
The Environment Protection Act, 1986 is an Umbrella Act to combat pollution in India. As India is a party to International Conventions on Environmental protection, specific laws on pollution prevention from ships have been enacted under the relevant provisions in the Merchant Shipping Act. This was stated by the Union Minister of Shipping, Shri G.K. Vasan in a supplementary reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
He further informed that India is also a party to the International Conventions on Safety of Life (SOLAS) and marine pollution, international conventions on marine pollution (MARPOL) which are the main safety and pollution related conventions of the IMO.
The Minister said that in the last two years the Cabinet has approved accession to three conventions/protocols.
- Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks
- Protocol of 1996 to the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims
- MARPOL 73/78 convention Annex VI-Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships
“We are in the process of acceding to other important conventions like the Bunker Convention and OPRC (Oil Pollution Response Convention) and OPRC-HNS (Oil Pollution response Convention-Hazardous and Noxious Substances) and I am confident that the process will be completed soon”, he added.
Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India
