Asbestos-sc Notice To Centre On Norwegian Ship

ASBESTOS

SC notice to Centre on Norwegian ship
Press Trust of India

16th May 2006

New Delhi: The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on an application seeking to stop a Norwegian ship carrying asbestos and other toxic materials from entering into the Indian waters for its scrapping at Alang port in Gujarat.

A Bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice Markandey Katju asked the apex court-appointed high-level Committee of Technical Experts on Ship Breaking to examine the concern raised in the application and submit report in July.

The Bench acted on an application moved by Environmental activist Gopal Krishna alleging that the world's largest ocean liner S S Norway has left Port Klang, Malaysia with huge toxic wastes and likely to arrive in India within 15 days.

The Court said the Centre while determining the toxic contents in the ship, popularly known as "Blue Lady", could take the assistance of Central Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Maritime Board and Gujarat Pollution Control Board.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian, who accepted the notice for the Centre, informed the court that he has already communicated the concern raised by advocate Sanjay Parikh about the ship to the concerned authority.