Save us from toxic Blue Lady
Villagers near Alang ship breaking yard say dismantling of the contaminated ship poses grave danger to their health, livelihood; they will reapproach SC, which had given the go-ahead for it
Posted On Friday, September 28, 2007
PTI
Bhavnagar (Gujarat): More than 30,000 villagers in this district in Gujarat are up in arms against the Supreme Court order allowing dismantling of the contaminated Norwegian ship Blue Lady. The apex court in its recent order had cleared the decks for breaking the controversial ship anchored on the state coast since 2005.
However, this has not gone down well with the villagers who alleged that its dismantling in the vicinity of their villages would adversely affect their livelihood and health.Bhagvatsinh Haubha Gohil, sarpanch of Sosiya in Talaja tehsil, said an application was filed in the Supreme Court in March this year on behalf of 12 sarpanchs and 30,000 people living in the vicinity of the ship-breaking yard at Alang. “We are upset that our plea on the crucial issue has not been considered. “The ship-breaking would have a long-lasting impact on the health of the villagers as they will be exposed to the hazardous material in the ship.” Also, the toxic materials would affect seafood, the main source of livelihood for the villagers, he added.
Taking up cudgel on behalf of these villagers, Indian Platform on Ship-breaking, said, “The ship still has radioactive material at 1088 places. “We would file a review petition challenging the apex court.” The ship containing toxic asbestos material was anchored on the Gujarat coast on December 26, 2005, following objections from certain environmental groups that the ship would pose serious health problems to the workers engaged in the ship-breaking industry.
Posted On Friday, September 28, 2007
PTI
Bhavnagar (Gujarat): More than 30,000 villagers in this district in Gujarat are up in arms against the Supreme Court order allowing dismantling of the contaminated Norwegian ship Blue Lady. The apex court in its recent order had cleared the decks for breaking the controversial ship anchored on the state coast since 2005.
However, this has not gone down well with the villagers who alleged that its dismantling in the vicinity of their villages would adversely affect their livelihood and health.Bhagvatsinh Haubha Gohil, sarpanch of Sosiya in Talaja tehsil, said an application was filed in the Supreme Court in March this year on behalf of 12 sarpanchs and 30,000 people living in the vicinity of the ship-breaking yard at Alang. “We are upset that our plea on the crucial issue has not been considered. “The ship-breaking would have a long-lasting impact on the health of the villagers as they will be exposed to the hazardous material in the ship.” Also, the toxic materials would affect seafood, the main source of livelihood for the villagers, he added.
Taking up cudgel on behalf of these villagers, Indian Platform on Ship-breaking, said, “The ship still has radioactive material at 1088 places. “We would file a review petition challenging the apex court.” The ship containing toxic asbestos material was anchored on the Gujarat coast on December 26, 2005, following objections from certain environmental groups that the ship would pose serious health problems to the workers engaged in the ship-breaking industry.
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PTI | September 27, 2007 |
Over 30,000 villagers in Guajarat's Bhavnagar district are up in arms against the Supreme Court order allowing dismantling of the toxic laden Norwegian ship Blue Lady. The apex court had recently allowed the dismantling of the controversial contaminated ship anchored on the state coast since 2005.
However, the villagers fear that the ship's dismantling would adversely affect their livelihood and health.
An application about this matter has been filed in the Supreme Court in March on behalf of 12 sarpanchs and 30,000 people living in the vicinity of the ship breaking yard at Alang, said Bhagvatsinh Haubha Gohil, sarpanch of Sosiya in Talaja tehsil.
"We are upset that our plea on the crucial issue has not been considered. The ship-breaking would have a long lasting impact on the health of the villagers as they will be exposed to the hazardous material in the ship," said Gohil.
Also, the toxic material would affect�marine life, the main source of livelihood for the villagers, he added.
The ship containing toxic asbestos material has been anchored on the Gujarat coast since December 26, 2005, after environmental groups protested against its dismantling. They contended that the ship would pose serious health problems to the workers engaged in the ship breaking industry.