SC directs TEC, GMB, GPCB for report on dismantling Blue Lady

New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed Technical Experts Committee (TEC), Gujarat Maritime Board and Gujarat Pollution Control Board to report within three months whether stipulations prescribed for dismantling a ship containing hazardous substances have been followed before granting approval for dismantling the Norwegian vessel Blue Lady.

A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia in its order also said focus will be on whether 80 per cent of asbestos is reusable as claimed and what steps are proposed to be taken to control environmental pollution caused by dust from dismantling of the ship.

The court also wanted to know which nodal agency should be entrusted to oversee the work of dismantling of Blue Lady which has already been breached.

According to the authorities, the ship now cannot be sent back to Norway.

Earlier Bangladesh had denied entry to the ship but India permitted it to anchor at Alang Port in Gujarat.

It contains 10 metric tonnes of asbestos, a highly hazardous substance.

UNI