The Supreme Court's order expected on February 13 on French aircraft carrier Clemenceau will be obeyed and implemented, Environment Minister A Raja said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the annual editors' conference on social sector issues, the minister said the decision on allowing Clemenceau to come to the ship-breaking yard in Alang, Gujarat, will be "subject to the Supreme Court's verdict".
He said the court's committee on the issue, scheduled to meet on January 20, would review all the information on the ship and enable an informed view on it.
Speaking about the ship-breaking industry, particularly the constant criticism about India allowing ships containing hazardous wastes into its waters, Naresh Dayal, additional secretary, ministry of environment and forests, said they only have objection "if the cargo contains hazardous substance".
"We are not averse to the ship-breaking industry which provides employment to a lot of people and valuable raw material like steel to our industry," Dayal said.
He said under the Basel Convention, there is no bar on the trans-border movement of ships that have used asbestos as insulation material.
Environmental groups like Greenpeace have been protesting the entry of the ship at Alang yard in Gujarat without first being decontaminated in France.
According to Greenpeace, the ship is fitted with hundreds of tonnes of hazardous material, including 500 tonnes of asbestos -- a known carcinogen -- that could pose a severe risk to scrapyard workers.
{{/usCountry}}According to Greenpeace, the ship is fitted with hundreds of tonnes of hazardous material, including 500 tonnes of asbestos -- a known carcinogen -- that could pose a severe risk to scrapyard workers.
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