With reference to the environmental regulations and response invoked during the MSC ELSA 3 shipwreck, consider the following statements: 1. The National Green Tribunal took suo motu cognisance citing violations of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. 2. The incident triggered monitoring protocols under the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan. 3. Chemical spills from foreign-flagged vessels within India's Exclusive Economic Zone fall entirely outside the jurisdiction of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Question

Accepted Answer

A) 1 and 2 only — Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The NGT took suo motu cognisance citing the Biological Diversity Act, the Water Act, and the EPA, and the Coast Guard activated the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Environment Protection Act, 1986, applies to environmental hazards and pollution within India's territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, regardless of the vessel's flag.

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