The ship breaking activity grew into a full-fledged industry by the year 1979 when the Government of India recognised it as a manufacturing industry.  The main center for this activity lies on the west coast of Gulf of Cambay at Alang-Sosiya, Gujarat.  The large tidal range and other geomorphological characteristics of the beach at Alang make it an ideal location for the ship breaking industry.  The year-wise details of ships received for dismantling in India during the last 5 years is given below

            The Supreme Court of India has issued directions on 14.10.2003 in the matter of Writ Petition (Civil) No. 657 of 1995 on hazardous waste management for making the ship breaking activity safe for the workers and the environment.  Besides the directions of the Supreme Court, the ship breaking activity is also required to comply with the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the conditions stipulated in the authorizations issued to individual units by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB).  The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has also set up a Common Treatment, Storage & Disposal Facility (CTSDF) for environmentally sound disposal of the hazardous wastes generated from the ship breaking activity at Alang, Gujarat.  The Gujarat Pollution Control Board regularly monitors the compliance to various rules and regulations and directions of the Supreme Court.

            The matter regarding the entry of the French Aircraft Carrier ‘Clemenceau’ into India is presently subjudice in the Supreme Court of India.

            The Government has no such proposal for banning of ship breaking activity in the country.

This information was given by Minister of State for Environment & Forests, Shri Namo Narain Meena in his written reply to a question of Prof. Alka Balram Kshatriya in the Rajya Sabha today.

HRK/SK