The death ships
Says Shailendra Yashwant, campaign director for Greenpeace India, "Dumping Clemenceau on India or any other Asian ship breaking yard not equipped to deal with this toxic behemoth would be highly hazardous to the unprotected, vulnerable and poor workers."
Demanding that end-of-life ships like Clemenceau be decontaminated before they are packed off to shipping yards in Asia, Yashwant said the countries that are signatories to the Basel Convention -- that regulates the shipping industry and recycling activities of the end-of-life ships worldwide -- need to adhere to it more strictly.
"It is possible to decontaminate the ship of asbestos and other toxic materials by 90 per cent. Once it is done, then the ship does not pose such a big danger to workers scrapping it to make steel. But because it is so cost-extensive, the countries send it to countries like India and Bangladesh, where ship-breaking is an uncontrolled activity and authorities are openly flouting laws," he added.
Government officers and ship-breaking operators in Alang declare that the Gujarat shipyard has the facilities to dispose of asbestos in special pits. The French firm connected with the ship's breakdown has told international news agencies that the workers' health will be taken care of.
Image: Alang ship-breaking yard workers take a break
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