Taking a tough stand on the decommissioned French aircraft carrier Clemenceau, the Supreme Court monitoring committee on hazardous waste management today said that the ship should not be allowed within 200 km of India’s exclusive economic zone until there was full disclosure on the amount of asbestos on board.The panel will make a final recommendation to the SC after two weeks—during which it has invited all parties to present their case—but the members decided that in case the ship is, in future, allowed into India, it would be based on a bank guarantee of Rs 80 crore, twice the value of the ship.‘‘India would be a party to violation of Basel convention on the movement of hazardous wastes if it allows the ship anywhere near the country’s exclusive economic zone,’’ said panel chairman G Thyagarajan. ‘‘A ship of that size and make would generate asbestos-laden dust that would harm the environment.’’Thyagarajan complained about what he called the lack of transparency over how much asbestos is on board. Estimates vary from 50 to 500 tonnes. It is “not desirable to let the ship enter India’s waters,’’ he said. Technopure, that was first contracted to do the clean-up, claims there are more than 500 tonnes. Two representatives of Technopure testified today. Meanwhile, SIDC, the French private company that is selling the ship to the Indian scrap dealer has requested that it be allowed to present its case.
