Minister of State for Shipping, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan informed the Rajya Sabha today that no instance has been reported regarding any country dumping hazardous waste in India by sending ships for breaking.
On the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Government had notified the Ship Breaking Code 2013 on 7th March 2013 incorporating the recommendations of the Committee of Technical Experts on ship-breaking. The Code elaborately stipulates procedure to be followed for ship-breaking. Ships arriving for breaking purposes are not allowed without obtaining proper consent of the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board (SMB), stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances. The consent is issued in consultation with Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Custom authorities. Any hazardous material in an empty ship is decontaminated by experts before taking it for dismantling/breaking. The small quantities of hazardous material, if any, embedded in the structure of the vessels are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner through Treatment and Safe Disposal Facilities set up for this purpose.
The Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement), Rules 2008 has been notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for proper management and handling of hazardous waste. Under the Rules, import of hazardous waste from any country for disposal is not permitted. The State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committees constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 are empowered to take action against violations.
On the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Government had notified the Ship Breaking Code 2013 on 7th March 2013 incorporating the recommendations of the Committee of Technical Experts on ship-breaking. The Code elaborately stipulates procedure to be followed for ship-breaking. Ships arriving for breaking purposes are not allowed without obtaining proper consent of the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board (SMB), stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances. The consent is issued in consultation with Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Custom authorities. Any hazardous material in an empty ship is decontaminated by experts before taking it for dismantling/breaking. The small quantities of hazardous material, if any, embedded in the structure of the vessels are disposed of in an environmentally safe manner through Treatment and Safe Disposal Facilities set up for this purpose.
The Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement), Rules 2008 has been notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for proper management and handling of hazardous waste. Under the Rules, import of hazardous waste from any country for disposal is not permitted. The State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committees constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 are empowered to take action against violations.
