The Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on hazardous waste management on Friday ruled that the decommissioned French aircraft carrier 'Clemenceau,' which is on its way to Gujarat carrying hazardous wastes, will not enter Indian waters.
"India would be a party to violation of the Basel Convention on Movement of hazardous wastes if it allows the ship anywhere near the country's exclusive economic zone," SCMC Chairman G Thyagarajan told reporters.
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"In the light of additional information from media and other sources, there is not a happy picture to welcome the ship in India since a ship of that size and displacement would destroy soil," he said.
Thyagarajan said the estimate of asbestos on board the aircraft carrier varies from 50 to 500 tonne and that information on the ship was incomplete and unhelpful.
"People have not been transparent in disclosure of information. It is not desirable to let the ship enter Indian waters," he said, adding, "The country which has sent the ship to India is not observing the Basel Convention on movement of hazardous waste."
"We are told that the ship has been purchased for Rs 40 crore. Why spend Rs 40 crore to buy foreign debris and waste our valuable foreign exchange to bury another country's junk," the committee chairman quipped.
"We need authentic information on guarantee, which should not be less than the price of the ship. Till then, the ship should not come anywhere near Indian waters," Thyagarajan said, adding, "Any person or any country wishing to supply information regarding the ship and asbestos on board should do so within 15 days to the committee after which it would submit its recommendations to the Supreme Court."