SCRAP-SHIPS

SHIP BREAKING YARDS. At the end of their sailing life, ships vessels and floating structures are sold as scrap for their steel. Greece is the place where auction of such ships takes place. A ship for breaking is sold ordinarily between two to five million US dollars. The Principal purchaser are generally shaikhs in Dubai. They buy such ships for ship-breaking, making payment in US dollars. Such ships are sent to ship-breaking yards-say Alang ship-breaking yard, Bombay, Sachana etc. In India they have their syndicate in New Delhi runs this business. The Syndicate pays the Principal in kind by exporting equivalent valued foodstuff butter cheese,grains pulses-in short everything as indented by the Principal. After fulfilling customs formalities ship-breaking takes place in under-developed countries Bangladesh, Pakistan India China etc. Such ship breaking activity turns our green good sea-beach into dirty graveyards. Such ships brought for ship-breaking also contain hazardous material like asbestos lead paint,PCBs (poly-chlorinated biphenyls) in engine oils. During the process of scrapping hazardous poisonous gas is found released in the environment. Every year about 700 such ship are taken out of actual sea-faring and put into auction for scrapping. About 300 such ships account for our share in ship-breaking approximately. Such ships ordinarily travel under flag of convenience available at cheap rates from countries like Panama, Malta Cyprus etc. Ship masters have the right to sail under any flag they choose. Ships are registered in such countries where rules are not strict. Shipping companies and ship-owners remain incognitio -their origin can not be traced. Everything is done by petty contractors middlemen etc. They make huge profits from selling such old ships but do not bear the burden of undertaking a follow-up clean break-up of the ship. Here they raise their hands. The International Maritime Organization has issued clear cut guidelines for follow up action till completion of the breaking process by the sellers of such old vessels. In our country, the Honorable Apex Court of India rendered yeoman's service by issuing guidelines on lines of the IMO plus the Lordships have also issued directives that prevents dumping of hazardous wastes in the country, and the ship has also to be delivered with 'gas free for hot works' certificate as per Indian Laws. Their Lordships have stressed that the Basel Convention was applicable to export of such ships to our country as it amounts to one and the same thing like export of hazardous materials to our country; and that 'gas-free for hot work' should be made compulsery for the ship owner and that no ship be given permission to beach unless such certificate is produced. Any explosion irrespective of the certificate should result in cancellation of the plot holder's license and the Explosives Inspector prosecuted. The Pollution Control Board has issued instructions to observe the said precautions. It has also directed to remove asbestos and other hazardous waste on board of the ship and store it at a landfill in the hinterlands adjacent to the ship-breaking yards. This directive is uncalled for as it does not address the illegalities of import of such hazardous wastes into the ship-breaking yards. Many agencies have visited the ship-breaking yards of Alang, Bombay to monitor environmental pollution. Syndicates have very long hands and everything has remained on paper. There is complete ban on diamond polishing in the western countries being hazardous to health. They send all their diamonds for trimming polishing shining to underdeveloped countries. There is complete ban on manufacture of synthetic organic dyestuffs being hazardous to the environment. Such SODyes are manufactured in India. They import it from India. Pollution Control Board and Courts have issued innumerable guidelines but they are of no avail. Time is now ripe for public awakening. At a little distance from Alang, at Pipavav, the Japan Car manufacturing company financed the Delhi syndicate for establishing a modern ship breaking yard. This ship-breaking yard is now ready but it is delayed for want of last minute green signal from the Government. As per arrangement, every year Japan renders 200 vessels for scrapping. These vessels would be scrapped at Pipavav. The cut steel would go Japan for use in their automobile plants. This arrangement was done during the earlier regime between 1985 to 90. Now that this party has come to power, it will be shortly commissioned. In short it is time now to enforce the directives issued by the Honorable Supreme Court of India. In Japan their Government have refused permission to establish a ship-breaking yard in Japan sea-waters. India welcomes everything. This state of affairs has to stop now.