The Hindu : New Delhi News : Yet another asbestos-laden ship for Alang?

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Thursday, May 08, 2008
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Yet another asbestos-laden ship for Alang?

Special Correspondent

AHMEDABAD: Some of the environmentalists based in the United States have kicked up a controversy over yet another asbestos-laden ship heading for the Alang ship-breaking yard in the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat for dismantling.

The controversy over S.S. Oceanic has been raised in view of the nationwide protest the Alang shipyard faced over the dismantling of the Norwegian ship, “Blue Lady,” carrying over 1,200 tonnes of toxic asbestos, a couple of years ago.

After some voluntary organisations working in the areas of environmental protection filed a case in the Supreme Court to stop dismantling of Blue Lady in view of the hazardous materials carried by it, the apex court allowed its dismantling only under the guidance of an expert committee with strict norms for the disposal of the hazardous materials and ensuring health security of the workers engaged in the dismantling works.

The ship, S. S. Oceanic, carrying about 250 tonnes of toxic asbestos and other hazardous materials, has reportedly left San Francisco shipyard in the first week of February. The ship is said to be headed for Singapore on way to Alang, but its current location is still not known. It was not clear whether the ship would be going to Bangladesh for dismantling or to Alang, but the environmentalists said the resale value of the ship at around Rs. 100 crore, was too costly for a Bangladeshi ship-breaker and its only possible destination was India.

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