‘Radioactive’ ship near Alang: Inquiry ordered

Even as the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has maintained that Platinum II does not pose any danger,environmental experts have said a “huge disaster” is imminent if the vessel sinks or is dismantled at the Alang ship breaking yard.

“The Indian Platform on Ship-breaking,a coalition of environmental,health,labour and human rights,is demanding that the US government recall the ship in the same way the French had recalled Le Clemenceau,” said Gopal Krishna of the group.

According to Naresh Kumar Tabhani,an environmental engineer in charge of the Board’s Bhavnagar unit,a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Forest maintained that the ship contained ‘asbestos-containing material’ (ACM) sheets up to 200 tonnes.

Besides asbestos,up to 20 tonnes of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) is also onboard the former luxury liner in the form of insulated wiring. “We have to consider the Supreme Court guidelines before beaching permission is granted,” he said.

Kushal Singh Yadav,Toxics Department Co-ordinator at the Center for Science and Environment (CSE),said the chemicals (asbestos and PCBs) and oil onboard Platinum II will leak into the sea damaging flora and fauna. Yadav,citing his experience from visits to the yard on research for CSE in previous years,further said that the yard is “ill-equipped” to handle the chemicals onboard the vessel.

“The decontamination should have been done at the point of origin itself — the US. That is the standard procedure. The ship should not have been allowed to come here in the first place,” Yadav said. “The GPCB has always been lenient in taking action in these cases. It keeps on repeating this mistake over and over again,” he added.

GPCB (Bhavnagar) regional officer G Patel,however,categorically denied any threat to the environment. “The asbestos is present in the form of ceiling and partition. There is no hazardous material in loose form,” he added.

Vessel has no hazardous material: Gujarat govt
Even as the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has already ordered an enquiry into reports that Platinum II is carrying contaminated and radioactive wastes,the Gujarat government has categorically denied that the vessel contains any hazardous material,“except asbestos and paint,both of which can be removed”.

There is nothing to prevent the government from granting beaching permission to the ship,the ministry maintained.

“We have sent a report to the MoEF. Platinum II contains only asbestos and paint. According to Supreme Court guidelines,both these materials can be removed and the ship can be given clearance for beaching,” said S K Nanda,Principal Secretary,Forest and Environment,Gujarat.