2023 · GS Paper 3 · Q8 · 10 marks
What is oil pollution? What are its impacts on the marine ecosystem? In what way is oil pollution particularly harmful for a country like India?
In short
Oil pollution is the release of petroleum hydrocarbons into the sea, which blocks light and oxygen, poisons larvae and smothers birds, corals and mangroves. It is especially harmful for India because more than 80% of its oil arrives by sea along a coastline of fragile hotspots and fishing livelihoods.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 276 words
Toxicity and bioaccumulation
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons poison fish eggs and larvae and accumulate up the food chain to humans.
Birds and mammals
Oil mats feathers and fur, destroying insulation and buoyancy, as the Deepwater Horizon spill (2010) showed.
Corals and mangroves
Oil smothers corals, clogs mangrove roots and settles on the seabed, slowing recovery for years.
Coastline and routes
About 11,098 km of coast lies beside major tanker routes, and more than 80% of India's oil and over half its gas travel by sea (India Foundation).
Fragile hotspots
The Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park lies beside the Vadinar and Kandla terminals, and the Gulf of Mannar and Sundarbans are equally exposed; tar balls reach Goa's beaches each monsoon.
Livelihoods
Small-scale fishers and coastal tourism lose income for months, as Ennore fishers did in 2017 and 2023.
Thin response
The Coast Guard leads the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, but equipment for large spills, sensitivity maps and quick compensation remain limited.
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This chapter in the exam
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2023 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.