'Safety situation in shipbreaking yards critical'
Press Trust of India
New Delhi
January 21, 2010
The health and safety situation in many shipbreaking yards in India still remains "critical" and there is a need to improve training facilities and working conditions for labourers, a UN special rapporteur said today.
Okechukwu Ibeanu also noted that only three per cent of the 400,000 metric tonnes of e-waste generated in India is recycled in authorised facilities and recommended a national plan for safe management of electronic products.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, was addressing the media here after wrapping up a 10-day visit to examine India's progress in disposal of hazardous wastes.
Ibeanu, who visited shipbreaking yards in Alang in Gujarat and Mumbai and an e-waste recycling facility in Roorkee, acknowledged the "significant progress" made by India, including in developing an "impressive" regulatory framework for environmentally sound management of toxic products.
Pointing to the differing opinions on environmental impact of shipbreaking, he also favoured an independent study to assess the adverse effects that may be caused by the discharge of hazardous material into natural environment.
While noting the "consistent efforts" being made by authorities in Gujarat to reduce risks to workers, he said, "The health and safety situations prevailing in most of the shipbreaking yards I visited remain critical as witnessed by 12 fatal accidents that occurred in Alang during the course of last year."
The five-day training provided to workers in Alang is "grossly inadequate" and the facilities should be improved, Ibeanu said. "In Mumbai, workers do not receive any form of training, making them more prone to serious accidents and injuries," he said.
Identifying other "shortcomings", Ibeanu said medical facilities established on or just outside the yards in Alang and Mumbai do not possess sufficient human, technical and financial resources to provide any treatment other than first-aid for minor injuries.
"The Red Cross facility I visited in Alang is not equipped to deal with serious accidents, and can only count on four medical doctors to provide health care not only to some 30,000 workers in the yards, but also the neighbouring villages of Alang and Sosia," he said.
He said he was "shocked" to see the conditions in which most workers live in Alang and Mumbai.
"Semi-skilled and unskilled workers live in makeshift facilities lacking basic sanitation facilities, electricity and even safe drinking water," Ibeanu said.
On e-waste, the UN expert said while Indian government is making efforts to meet the challenge, the international community should come up with technology assistance.
Ibeanu, who will submit a report to the UN Human Rights Council, said the dismantling of electronic equipment by small-scale informal laboratories can pose health risks and favoured a national implementation plan for proper management of electronic products, with special focus of integrating informal recyclers into formal economy.
MoEF officials said they have already informed the Gujarat government on Ibeanu’s visit. They further said that Ibeanu will visit Vadodara to do a recce on the industries; he will also visit Ankleshwar to see the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility.
“Ibeanu will be meeting civil society groups to discuss the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic waste, which is affecting human rights. He has been visiting other countries on issues related to ship-breaking activities and e-waste (electronic waste) disposal. This is for the first time that he will be visiting India on a UN mandate,” said MoEF officials.
BS
UN special envoy to visit Gujarat
To report on compliance of technical guidelines on dismantling of ships at Alang under Basel Convention
Okechukwu Ibeanu, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur of Human Rights Council, will be visiting the industrial areas in Gujarat, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) said.
Ibeanu, who reached India on Sunday, is visiting the country — for the first time — on a UN mandate. He is scheduled to meet Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) officials on January 13 and 14.
Ibeanu will visit Vadodara, Ankleshwar and Ahmedabad, and meet GPCB authorities on environment related issues. His visit is significant given that the anchorage of Platinum II near the Alang Ship-breaking Yard raising a storm.
Ibeanu is scheduled to visit the Alang Ship-breaking Yard on January 15, where he will examine and report on the compliance of Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships under the UN Basel Convention. This was adopted in 2002 by a decision of the Conference of the Parties to which India is a party.
MoEF officials said they have already informed the Gujarat government on Ibeanu’s visit. They further said that Ibeanu will visit Vadodara to do a recce on the industries; he will also visit Ankleshwar to see the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility.
“Ibeanu will be meeting civil society groups to discuss the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic waste, which is affecting human rights. He has been visiting other countries on issues related to ship-breaking activities and e-waste (electronic waste) disposal. This is for the first time that he will be visiting India on a UN mandate,” said MoEF officials.
Platinum II: Centre asks more questions
After the MoEF declared Platinum II as a ‘wreck’, the Union Ministry of Steel has written to the former, the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) and the Gujarat government, asking them the reason for the entry and the anchorage of the vessel at Alang. Sources at the Ministry of Steel told
The Indian Express: “The letter was written on January 8. The Ministry of Steel is responsible for the code related to ship-breaking and welfare of the workers at the Alang Ship-breaking Yard.”
Meanwhile, Indian Platform on Ship-Breaking (IPOS) convenor Gopal Krishna told this paper that he too will meet Ibeanu to discuss the Platinum II issue.
Indian Express
14/01/2010
Special Rapporteur to examine hazardous wastes like obsolete Ships
UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics Wastes is examining the issue of obsolete ships that are considered hazardous wastes under the Basel Convention. This is being done in the backdrop of rampant violation of UN laws such as Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the significance of his visist in the midst of a probe on the dumping of dead US ship Platinum II (MV Oceanic, SS Independence). The alaraming rise in the consumption of asbestos in India and arrival of asbestos laden ships in India also came in for mention.
The Special Rapporteur would report on the compliance of UN's Basel Convention's Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships was adopted in 2002 by decision VI/24 of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. India is a party to it. The 94 page guidelines provide information and recommendations on procedures, processes and practices that must be implemented to achieve Environmentally Sound Management at ship dismantling facilities.
Since its inception in 1982, ship breaking yard at Alang beach has dismantled 5,000 dead ships till January 2010. In the last 4 years more than 700 dead ships arrived in Alang. at present, there are around 17000-18000 trained labours engaged in ship recycling at Alang by the Ship Recyclers.
India is the world's largest shipbreaking nation in terms of volume. According to the Basel convention report of 2003, in Asia, it was estimated that 38 percent of shipbreaking activities are being conducted in India, followed by China 25 percent, Bangladesh, 19 percent, and Pakistan 7 percent. This has underwent a change with India and Bangladesh being ahead of China at present.
As per the Supreme Court of India, "Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances." And with regard to hazardous wastes, its orders "Disposal of waste material, viz. oil, cotton, dead cargo of inorganic material like hydrated/solidified elements, thermo- Cole pieces, glass wool, rubber, broken tiles, etc. should be done in a proper manner, utilizing technologies that meet the criteria of an effective destruction efficiency of 99.9 per cent, with no generation of persistent organic pollutants, and complete containment of all gaseous, liquid and solid residues for analysis and, if needed, reprocessing. Such disposed of material should be kept at a specified place earmarked for this purpose. Special care must be taken in the handling of asbestos wastes, and total quantities of such waste should be made known to the concerned authorities. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board should authorize appropriate final disposal of asbestos wastes."
As government reports, the rate of accident is worst in the industrial sector. Its 2 workers per 1000. And 16 % of the workers are exposed to asbestos, as per a report of the Supreme Court committee. This is an underestimate but even this too reveals an allarming situation.
Government policy with regard to ship breaking and shipping industry is based on the Supreme court's order that reads, "At the international level, India should participate in international meetings on shipbreaking at the level of the International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention’s Technical Working Group with a clear mandate for the decontamination of ships of their hazardous substances such as asbestos, waste oil, gas and PCBs, prior to export to India for breaking."
The dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) is at the Bhavnagar Anchorage Point and is under probe. The Environment Ministry has invoked precautionary principle. Beaching and breaking permission to the dead US ship has been denied. The ministry has taken cognisance of teh violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act and it expects that other concerned agencies would take immediate action to ensure that national and international laws are complied with and the guilty are brought to book. Supreme Court constitued Inter-ministerial committee through Ministry of Steel (the nodal ministry) has written to Environment Ministry, Shipping Ministry and Gujarat Martime Board asking them who should be held accountable for letting this ship to eneter Indian waters on fake documents. A FIR is likley to lodged against the owners for forgery of documents.
The Special Rapporteur would report on the compliance of UN's Basel Convention's Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships was adopted in 2002 by decision VI/24 of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. India is a party to it. The 94 page guidelines provide information and recommendations on procedures, processes and practices that must be implemented to achieve Environmentally Sound Management at ship dismantling facilities.
Since its inception in 1982, ship breaking yard at Alang beach has dismantled 5,000 dead ships till January 2010. In the last 4 years more than 700 dead ships arrived in Alang. at present, there are around 17000-18000 trained labours engaged in ship recycling at Alang by the Ship Recyclers.
India is the world's largest shipbreaking nation in terms of volume. According to the Basel convention report of 2003, in Asia, it was estimated that 38 percent of shipbreaking activities are being conducted in India, followed by China 25 percent, Bangladesh, 19 percent, and Pakistan 7 percent. This has underwent a change with India and Bangladesh being ahead of China at present.
As per the Supreme Court of India, "Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances." And with regard to hazardous wastes, its orders "Disposal of waste material, viz. oil, cotton, dead cargo of inorganic material like hydrated/solidified elements, thermo- Cole pieces, glass wool, rubber, broken tiles, etc. should be done in a proper manner, utilizing technologies that meet the criteria of an effective destruction efficiency of 99.9 per cent, with no generation of persistent organic pollutants, and complete containment of all gaseous, liquid and solid residues for analysis and, if needed, reprocessing. Such disposed of material should be kept at a specified place earmarked for this purpose. Special care must be taken in the handling of asbestos wastes, and total quantities of such waste should be made known to the concerned authorities. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board should authorize appropriate final disposal of asbestos wastes."
As government reports, the rate of accident is worst in the industrial sector. Its 2 workers per 1000. And 16 % of the workers are exposed to asbestos, as per a report of the Supreme Court committee. This is an underestimate but even this too reveals an allarming situation.
Government policy with regard to ship breaking and shipping industry is based on the Supreme court's order that reads, "At the international level, India should participate in international meetings on shipbreaking at the level of the International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention’s Technical Working Group with a clear mandate for the decontamination of ships of their hazardous substances such as asbestos, waste oil, gas and PCBs, prior to export to India for breaking."
The dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) is at the Bhavnagar Anchorage Point and is under probe. The Environment Ministry has invoked precautionary principle. Beaching and breaking permission to the dead US ship has been denied. The ministry has taken cognisance of teh violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act and it expects that other concerned agencies would take immediate action to ensure that national and international laws are complied with and the guilty are brought to book. Supreme Court constitued Inter-ministerial committee through Ministry of Steel (the nodal ministry) has written to Environment Ministry, Shipping Ministry and Gujarat Martime Board asking them who should be held accountable for letting this ship to eneter Indian waters on fake documents. A FIR is likley to lodged against the owners for forgery of documents.
09/01/2010
ओबामा प्रशासन जहरीले जहाज पर चुप क्यों?
Why is Obama Administration Silent on Toxic Ship ?
नई दिल्ली।। गुजरात में भावनगर एंकरेज पॉइंट पर खड़े मृत अमेरिकी जहाज प्लेटिनम-2 (Platinum II, formerly MV Oceanic) पर अमेरिकी प्रशासन ने चुप्पी क्यों साधी है? इस जहाज को अमेरिकी कानून के उल्लंघन का दोषी पाया गया था, जिसके लिए 5 लाख डॉलर से ज्यादा की पेनल्टी लग चुकी है। बावजूद इसके यह जहाज वहां से निकलकर भारत कैसे आ गया? क्या यूएस मैरिटाइम ऐडमिनिस्ट्रेशन को इसकी भनक नहीं लगी? जहाज को भारतीय सीमा में बीचिंग और ब्रेकिंग की इजाजत न देने के केंद्र सरकार के निर्देश के बावजूद यह यहीं डटा है। इस संदर्भ में सुप्रीम कोर्ट द्वारा गठित कमिटी ने शुक्रवार को शिपिंग मिनिस्ट्री, पर्यावरण मंत्रालय और गुजरात सरकार से स्थिति स्पष्ट करने को कहा है।
गौरतलब है कि इस जहाज के मालिकाना हक की स्थिति स्पष्ट नहीं है, लेकिन इतना तय है कि यह अमेरिकी जहाज है। केंद्रीय वन और पर्यावरण मंत्रालय ने 9 नवंबर को गुजरात मैरिटाइम बोर्ड (जीएमबी) को चिट्ठी में साफ लिखा है कि इस जहाज ने युनाइटेड स्टेट्स टॉक्सिक सब्सटेंसेज ऐक्ट का उल्लंघन किया है। लेकिन जीएमबी ने 1 दिसंबर को पर्यावरण मंत्रालय को लिखा कि यूएस कोस्टगार्ड की मंजूरी लिए बिना कोई जहाज उसकी नजरों से बचकर बाहर कैसे निकल सकता है। टॉक्सिक वॉच के कनविनर गोपाल कृष्ण कहते हैं कि गुजरात पल्यूशन कंट्रोल बोर्ड और जीएमबी भारतीय विभाग की तरह नहीं, बल्कि अमेरिकी प्रशासन के विभाग की तरह काम कर रहे हैं। वे यह मानकर चल रहे हैं कि प्लेनिटनम-2 (एसएस ओशनिक) की जांच अमेरिकी मैरिटाइम एडमिनिस्ट्रेशन ने की होगी, तो हमें जांच की क्या जरूरत? यह बेहद हास्यास्पद है। ऐस्बेस्टस से लदे इस जहाज पर शिपिंग, स्टील और कॉमर्स मिनिस्ट्री को दखल देना चाहिए, ताकि भारत को इस प्रकार की जहरीली डंपिंग से बचाया जा सके। अमेरिकी प्रशासन और भारतीय प्रशासन को चाहिए इस जहरीले जहाज के ओनरशिप की जांच करें।
सूत्रों ने बताया कि शुक्रवार को स्टील मिनिस्ट्री की ओर से शिपिंग मिनिस्ट्री, पर्यावरण मंत्रालय और गुजरात सरकार से पूछा गया कि इस मामले की मौजूदा स्थिति क्या है और यह जहाज किसकी इजाजत से भारतीय सीमा में आया और यहां खड़ा हुआ। गौरतलब है कि वर्ल्ड कस्टम ऑर्गेनाइजेशन की ग्रीन कस्टम्स इनिशिएटिव (जीसीआई) के मुताबिक नैशनल और इंटरनैशनल क्राइम सिंडिकेट खतरनाक कबाड़ डंप करके, स्मलिंग करके हर साल 20-30 बिलियन यूएस डॉलर कमाते हैं।
9 Jan 2010
पूनम पाण्डे
Navbharat Times
Toxic waste trade, Basel Convention & US
US based groups, friends and colleagues are earnestly requested to ensure that the moratorium on trade in hazardous ships is not lifted by the Obama administration that is acting on the advice of Lawrence Summers, President of US National Economic Council.
It would amount to the first glaring defeat of environmentalism in this new year and more might follow all throughout the year. This would tantamount to a premature obituary of the Basel Convention as well. The conspicuous absence of Secretariat of the Basel Convention, Geneva, Switzerland in a situation when the Convention is being burnt is intriguing. Is it that Secretariat of the Basel Convention has been driven to inaction and frozen passivity by hazardous waste traders for good.
US Maritime Administration (MARAD) is made to act against dead US ship Platinum II (formerly MV Oceanic, SS Independence) and the Obama Administration is persuaded to recall the dead toxic ship from Indian waters. Notably, USEPA acted against the toxic ship but still it slipped out of US waters. Gujarat Maritime Board, India in its letter dated 1st December, 2009 has noted that US agencies are yet to respond to it. Earlier, Indian Environment Ministry in its letter dated 9th November, 2009 took cognisance of violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act.
MARAD's deafening silence reveals the plan to export of the obsolete US ships to India or other South Asian beaches in order to avoid the environmental and safety liabilities involved if the ship were to be scrapped in the US. The rate of accident and enviro-occupational disease in the shipbreaking industry is alarming high.
Amidst rampant violation of UN laws such as Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and in the middle of a probe on the dumping of dead US ship Platinum II (formerly MV Oceanic, SS Independence) laden with PCBs and asbestos, the visit by UN Special Rapporteur Okechukwu Ibeanu to Alang, Mumbai and New Delhi assumes significance.
The hazardous wastes laden US ship in question has already been penalized by USEPA in January 2009 for violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act but the connivance of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) in letting a proven PCB laden ship to move out of US waters seems to be part of Obama adminstration's plan to lift the moratorium which was placed on the sale of US Government-owned ships-for-scrap to foreign yards after protests outside the US embassy in New Delhi in 1998. The moratorium was placed by U.S. vice president Al Gore. The implications of disposal of hundreds of old hazardous ships in Alang, India and other South Asian beaches Chittagong, Bangladesh and Gadani, Pakistan would be horrifying.
The Special Rapportuer of the UN Human Rights Council on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights is meeting civil society groups in New Delhi on 13-14th January.
Among other things the Special Rapporteur would examine and report on compliance of UN's Basel Convention's Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships was adopted in 2002 by decision VI/24 of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. India is a party to it. Ships are considered hazardous wastes under the Basel Convention.
Since its inception in 1982, ship breaking yard at Alang beach has dismantled 5,000 dead ships till January 2010. US remains a non-party to the Basel Convention. Do we know as to in how many cases Secretariat of the Basel Convention intervened since its birth? It should be made to act.
The illegal shipment of hazardous waste "from industrialised countries is being shipped to less developed countries under the listed intention of recycling and reclamation," is a serious problem, notes INTERPOL, that is part of the Green Customs Initiative (GCI) of World Customs Organization in collaboration with the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements including INTERPOL.
According to GCI, national and international crime syndicates earn 20-30 billion US dollars annually from hazardous wastes dumping, smuggling proscribed hazardous materials, and exploiting and trafficking protected natural resources. Illegal international trade in “environmentally-sensitive” commodities such as ozone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, endangered species and living modified organisms exposes the glaring loopholes in national and international laws.
Clearly, environmental crime and escaping of decontamination cost by global shipping companies in collaboration with international recycling industry is a significant and increasingly lucrative business. Groups who are opposed to toxic trade that is being part of free trade agreements (like the one with Japan) are also planning to meet the Special Rapportuer of the UN Human Rights Council on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes to apprise him about it.
Success of the Special Rapportuer 's report would be measured in terms of the extent to which it rejuvenates Basel Convention, and UNEP and in making UN Human Rights Council take action to arrest the national and international crime syndicates which undertakes hazardous waste trade with impunity.
It would amount to the first glaring defeat of environmentalism in this new year and more might follow all throughout the year. This would tantamount to a premature obituary of the Basel Convention as well. The conspicuous absence of Secretariat of the Basel Convention, Geneva, Switzerland in a situation when the Convention is being burnt is intriguing. Is it that Secretariat of the Basel Convention has been driven to inaction and frozen passivity by hazardous waste traders for good.
US Maritime Administration (MARAD) is made to act against dead US ship Platinum II (formerly MV Oceanic, SS Independence) and the Obama Administration is persuaded to recall the dead toxic ship from Indian waters. Notably, USEPA acted against the toxic ship but still it slipped out of US waters. Gujarat Maritime Board, India in its letter dated 1st December, 2009 has noted that US agencies are yet to respond to it. Earlier, Indian Environment Ministry in its letter dated 9th November, 2009 took cognisance of violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act.
MARAD's deafening silence reveals the plan to export of the obsolete US ships to India or other South Asian beaches in order to avoid the environmental and safety liabilities involved if the ship were to be scrapped in the US. The rate of accident and enviro-occupational disease in the shipbreaking industry is alarming high.
Amidst rampant violation of UN laws such as Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and in the middle of a probe on the dumping of dead US ship Platinum II (formerly MV Oceanic, SS Independence) laden with PCBs and asbestos, the visit by UN Special Rapporteur Okechukwu Ibeanu to Alang, Mumbai and New Delhi assumes significance.
The hazardous wastes laden US ship in question has already been penalized by USEPA in January 2009 for violation of US Toxic Substances Control Act but the connivance of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) in letting a proven PCB laden ship to move out of US waters seems to be part of Obama adminstration's plan to lift the moratorium which was placed on the sale of US Government-owned ships-for-scrap to foreign yards after protests outside the US embassy in New Delhi in 1998. The moratorium was placed by U.S. vice president Al Gore. The implications of disposal of hundreds of old hazardous ships in Alang, India and other South Asian beaches Chittagong, Bangladesh and Gadani, Pakistan would be horrifying.
The Special Rapportuer of the UN Human Rights Council on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights is meeting civil society groups in New Delhi on 13-14th January.
Among other things the Special Rapporteur would examine and report on compliance of UN's Basel Convention's Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships was adopted in 2002 by decision VI/24 of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. India is a party to it. Ships are considered hazardous wastes under the Basel Convention.
Since its inception in 1982, ship breaking yard at Alang beach has dismantled 5,000 dead ships till January 2010. US remains a non-party to the Basel Convention. Do we know as to in how many cases Secretariat of the Basel Convention intervened since its birth? It should be made to act.
The illegal shipment of hazardous waste "from industrialised countries is being shipped to less developed countries under the listed intention of recycling and reclamation," is a serious problem, notes INTERPOL, that is part of the Green Customs Initiative (GCI) of World Customs Organization in collaboration with the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements including INTERPOL.
According to GCI, national and international crime syndicates earn 20-30 billion US dollars annually from hazardous wastes dumping, smuggling proscribed hazardous materials, and exploiting and trafficking protected natural resources. Illegal international trade in “environmentally-sensitive” commodities such as ozone depleting substances, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, endangered species and living modified organisms exposes the glaring loopholes in national and international laws.
Clearly, environmental crime and escaping of decontamination cost by global shipping companies in collaboration with international recycling industry is a significant and increasingly lucrative business. Groups who are opposed to toxic trade that is being part of free trade agreements (like the one with Japan) are also planning to meet the Special Rapportuer of the UN Human Rights Council on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes to apprise him about it.
Success of the Special Rapportuer 's report would be measured in terms of the extent to which it rejuvenates Basel Convention, and UNEP and in making UN Human Rights Council take action to arrest the national and international crime syndicates which undertakes hazardous waste trade with impunity.
04/01/2010
Dead US Ship Makes Environment Ministry Anguished
Press Release
Dead US Ship Makes Environment Ministry Anguished
New Delhi/4/1/2010: At a High Level Meeting held today at Paryavaran Bhavan chaired by Jairam Ramesh, the Union Environment Minister, the letter of Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in the matter of dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence), Supreme Court order, a Navel Intelliegnce document, Basel Convention, the minutes of the inter-ministerial committee on shibreaking (IMC) and IMO's proposed treaty were discussed. The minister was anguished with the way the dead US ship has been dealt with by Gujarat authorities. He was unequivocal in stating that his ministry would ensure transparency, which would go a long way in setting matters right.
The GMB letter (in pictures at the bottom) addressed to Dr Saroj, Director, Hazardous Substances Management Division, Ministry of Environment & Forests informs that Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has so far not submitted any information and opinion in the matter of violation of US Toxics Substances Control Act, which was mentioned in the Environment Ministry's order. Notably, the dead ship in question is not registered with the Directorate General of Shipping.
Instead of admitting dereliction of duty by the GMB and Customs, the letter speculates that US Coast Guard could not have allowed the dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) to leave US waters. It notes that no intimation from US or Dubai authorties have reached them so far.
There were apprehensions expressed about the veracity of the claim that the ship cannot be refloated again and its reference to as wreck was taken with a pinch of salt. Indian law with respect to wreck is laid down in Part XIII of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The Section 2 (58) of Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 defines ‘wreck’ in an inclusive manner so as to take in both ‘goods’ and ‘vessels’. The definition of wreck is vague. The term ‘vessel’, under Section 2 (55) of the Act includes any ship, boat, sailing vessel or other description of vessel used in navigation which has been abandoned without hope or intention of recovery. Thus abandonment is a prerequisite for a vessel to be treated as a wreck. The insistence on total abandonment without even a hope or intention of recovery clearly shows that a stranded vessel or a vessel that is reasonably expected to sink cannot be termed as a Wreck under the Act. This is not the case in teh matter of the dead US ship.
The Act after defining Wreck elaborates on norms governing the handling of Wreck in Part XIII which also deals with salvage. Even if it gets proven that the dead US toxic ship is wreck, even then the Act provides that the Central Government may appoint a receiver to receive and take possession of the wreck and to perform such duties as envisaged under Section 391 of the Act. Clearly, GMB is motive in commiting a linguistic corruption of defing a floating hazardous waste is to use the lacunae in the Indian law relating to the handling and removal of wrecks that has been permitting the perpetrators of illegality to go scot-free and the public exchequer is burdened with the task of meeting the huge expenses for wreck removal. The owner of the dead US ship must be made liable for his acts of ommission and commission.
Notably, under the Act for a vessel to be a wreck it has to be abandoned without hope or intention of recovery. There has to be a positive act of abandonment so as to constitute a wreck and to empower the receiver to meddle with the same. In the case of a foreign vessel if its wreck or cargos are found on or near the Indian coast or are brought to any Indian port, in the absence of the master/owner, the statute under Section 399 (2) mandates that the consular officer of the country in which the vessel is registered or the cargo owners belong, shall be deemed to be the agent of the owner with respect to the custody and disposal of the articles. GMB is not revealing whether it has approached the consular officer of the country to which the dead US ship belongs.
As per the Supreme Court of India, "Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances." And with regard to hazardous wastes, its orders "Disposal of waste material, viz. oil, cotton, dead cargo of inorganic material like hydrated/solidified elements, thermo- Cole pieces, glass wool, rubber, broken tiles, etc. should be done in a proper manner, utilizing technologies that meet the criteria of an effective destruction efficiency of 99.9 per cent, with no generation of persistent organic pollutants, and complete containment of all gaseous, liquid and solid residues for analysis and, if needed, reprocessing. Such disposed of material should be kept at a specified place earmarked for this purpose. Special care must be taken in the handling of asbestos wastes, and total quantities of such waste should be made known to the concerned authorities. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board should authorize appropriate final disposal of asbestos wastes."
With regard to international environmental law, the court's order reads, "At the international level, India should participate in international meetings on shipbreaking at the level of the International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention’s Technical Working Group with a clear mandate for the decontamination of ships of their hazardous substances such as asbestos, waste oil, gas and PCBs, prior to export to India for breaking."
Shockingly, in the case of dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence), the above order has not been complied with nor has it been claimed that it has been complied with in the face of clear evidence of the ship being laden with asbestos, PCBs and radioactive material.
An environmental health researcher, an applicant in the Supreme Court and a complaint before the Ministry, Gopal Krishna was invited at the High Level Meeting. He submitted that the ship in question is a floating hazardous waste that has been dumped in the country without manadatory pre-cleaning using procedural flaws and gullible officials unmindful of the alarmingly high level of accidents and diseases in Alang.
Participants at the High Level Meeting included environment ministry officials like R H Khwaja, Additional Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, Joint Secretary, Director, Hazardous Substances Management Division expressed deep anguish at the failure of the GMB to invoke precautionary principle to deal with the dubious ship once beaching and breaking permission has been withheld. The ministry expects that other concerned ministries of steel and shipping would take immediate action to ensure that national and international laws are complied with and the guilty are brough to book.
For Details
Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch/Indian Platform on Shipbreaking
New Delhi
Mb: 9818089660
Skype id: witnesskrishna
E-mail: krishnagreen@gmail.com
Blog: imowatch.blogspot.com
Dead US Ship Makes Environment Ministry Anguished
New Delhi/4/1/2010: At a High Level Meeting held today at Paryavaran Bhavan chaired by Jairam Ramesh, the Union Environment Minister, the letter of Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in the matter of dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence), Supreme Court order, a Navel Intelliegnce document, Basel Convention, the minutes of the inter-ministerial committee on shibreaking (IMC) and IMO's proposed treaty were discussed. The minister was anguished with the way the dead US ship has been dealt with by Gujarat authorities. He was unequivocal in stating that his ministry would ensure transparency, which would go a long way in setting matters right.
The GMB letter (in pictures at the bottom) addressed to Dr Saroj, Director, Hazardous Substances Management Division, Ministry of Environment & Forests informs that Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has so far not submitted any information and opinion in the matter of violation of US Toxics Substances Control Act, which was mentioned in the Environment Ministry's order. Notably, the dead ship in question is not registered with the Directorate General of Shipping.
Instead of admitting dereliction of duty by the GMB and Customs, the letter speculates that US Coast Guard could not have allowed the dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) to leave US waters. It notes that no intimation from US or Dubai authorties have reached them so far.
There were apprehensions expressed about the veracity of the claim that the ship cannot be refloated again and its reference to as wreck was taken with a pinch of salt. Indian law with respect to wreck is laid down in Part XIII of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The Section 2 (58) of Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 defines ‘wreck’ in an inclusive manner so as to take in both ‘goods’ and ‘vessels’. The definition of wreck is vague. The term ‘vessel’, under Section 2 (55) of the Act includes any ship, boat, sailing vessel or other description of vessel used in navigation which has been abandoned without hope or intention of recovery. Thus abandonment is a prerequisite for a vessel to be treated as a wreck. The insistence on total abandonment without even a hope or intention of recovery clearly shows that a stranded vessel or a vessel that is reasonably expected to sink cannot be termed as a Wreck under the Act. This is not the case in teh matter of the dead US ship.
The Act after defining Wreck elaborates on norms governing the handling of Wreck in Part XIII which also deals with salvage. Even if it gets proven that the dead US toxic ship is wreck, even then the Act provides that the Central Government may appoint a receiver to receive and take possession of the wreck and to perform such duties as envisaged under Section 391 of the Act. Clearly, GMB is motive in commiting a linguistic corruption of defing a floating hazardous waste is to use the lacunae in the Indian law relating to the handling and removal of wrecks that has been permitting the perpetrators of illegality to go scot-free and the public exchequer is burdened with the task of meeting the huge expenses for wreck removal. The owner of the dead US ship must be made liable for his acts of ommission and commission.
Notably, under the Act for a vessel to be a wreck it has to be abandoned without hope or intention of recovery. There has to be a positive act of abandonment so as to constitute a wreck and to empower the receiver to meddle with the same. In the case of a foreign vessel if its wreck or cargos are found on or near the Indian coast or are brought to any Indian port, in the absence of the master/owner, the statute under Section 399 (2) mandates that the consular officer of the country in which the vessel is registered or the cargo owners belong, shall be deemed to be the agent of the owner with respect to the custody and disposal of the articles. GMB is not revealing whether it has approached the consular officer of the country to which the dead US ship belongs.
As per the Supreme Court of India, "Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the concerned authority or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances." And with regard to hazardous wastes, its orders "Disposal of waste material, viz. oil, cotton, dead cargo of inorganic material like hydrated/solidified elements, thermo- Cole pieces, glass wool, rubber, broken tiles, etc. should be done in a proper manner, utilizing technologies that meet the criteria of an effective destruction efficiency of 99.9 per cent, with no generation of persistent organic pollutants, and complete containment of all gaseous, liquid and solid residues for analysis and, if needed, reprocessing. Such disposed of material should be kept at a specified place earmarked for this purpose. Special care must be taken in the handling of asbestos wastes, and total quantities of such waste should be made known to the concerned authorities. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board should authorize appropriate final disposal of asbestos wastes."
With regard to international environmental law, the court's order reads, "At the international level, India should participate in international meetings on shipbreaking at the level of the International Maritime Organization and the Basel Convention’s Technical Working Group with a clear mandate for the decontamination of ships of their hazardous substances such as asbestos, waste oil, gas and PCBs, prior to export to India for breaking."
Shockingly, in the case of dead US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence), the above order has not been complied with nor has it been claimed that it has been complied with in the face of clear evidence of the ship being laden with asbestos, PCBs and radioactive material.
An environmental health researcher, an applicant in the Supreme Court and a complaint before the Ministry, Gopal Krishna was invited at the High Level Meeting. He submitted that the ship in question is a floating hazardous waste that has been dumped in the country without manadatory pre-cleaning using procedural flaws and gullible officials unmindful of the alarmingly high level of accidents and diseases in Alang.
Participants at the High Level Meeting included environment ministry officials like R H Khwaja, Additional Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, Joint Secretary, Director, Hazardous Substances Management Division expressed deep anguish at the failure of the GMB to invoke precautionary principle to deal with the dubious ship once beaching and breaking permission has been withheld. The ministry expects that other concerned ministries of steel and shipping would take immediate action to ensure that national and international laws are complied with and the guilty are brough to book.
For Details
Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch/Indian Platform on Shipbreaking
New Delhi
Mb: 9818089660
Skype id: witnesskrishna
E-mail: krishnagreen@gmail.com
Blog: imowatch.blogspot.com
03/01/2010
Prime minister to call shots on Platinum II
New Delhi: The fate of the erstwhile US warship, Platinum II, is now in the hands of the prime minister. His office is considering whether the radioactive substance-laden ship should be allowed to enter the shipbreaking yards in the country or be asked to leave. The Platinum II is at present anchored off Gopnath point, approximately 40 nautical miles from Alang coast in Gujarat.
Though the environment minister gave marching orders to the ship, the director of the hazardous substances management division of the ministry of environment & forests, Subba Rao, wrote a letter to a campaigner saying that the ministry of steel is the nodal agency for ship-breaking activities in the country, implying that the environment ministry has no role in preventing toxic ships. Dr Rao’s defiant letter to Gopal Krishna, who is spearheading a campaign to keep the shipbreaking industry under judicial watch, results in the PMO’s involvement.
Now, Krishna has urged PM to order the return of Platinum II. He says the lack of promptness in forcing Platinum-II to leave the Indian shores violates American law, UN law, the Indian Supreme Court order and the environment ministry’s directions. It’s time for the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Ship Breaking and Environment to see through these corporate veils created by shipping companies and stand up for the environment, Krishna tells the PM.
The incident is reminiscent of French aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau, which was sent by France to India for breaking. However, French courts realised that the export was a violation of the Basel Convention and demanded its return.
The arrival of Platinum II made India an international crime scene, and the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) abetted the crime. The last time something like this happened, the exporting country recalled the ship and took responsibility.
Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Sunday, January 3, 2010
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_prime-minister-to-call-shots-on-platinum-ii_1330570
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK2cYj74Jmk
The politics over the toxic ship, Platinum II is getting murkier. NewsX has learnt that ship is all set to be dismantled at the anchorage point in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLKfyOItcGE
After waiting for more than 15 days, the central team has finally submitted its report on US toxic ship Platinum II and officially confirmed that ship has toxin on board.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn-edae-Kzc
MARAD facilitated fugitive toxic ship sale? US agency, Maritime Administration (MARAD) abets the environmental crime. A new report says the ship carries no toxic waste in loose form, which experts have termed vague and a deliberate attempt to hide realities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivnuX0gVZeY
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh explained the government stand on the controversial toxic ship after the Newx broke the story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMeJ0hqP3lM
The toxic US ship Platinum II has triggered a wave of protest among political parties. Leaders are demanding the recall of the ship, even as there are reports that it could sink.
Though the environment minister gave marching orders to the ship, the director of the hazardous substances management division of the ministry of environment & forests, Subba Rao, wrote a letter to a campaigner saying that the ministry of steel is the nodal agency for ship-breaking activities in the country, implying that the environment ministry has no role in preventing toxic ships. Dr Rao’s defiant letter to Gopal Krishna, who is spearheading a campaign to keep the shipbreaking industry under judicial watch, results in the PMO’s involvement.
Now, Krishna has urged PM to order the return of Platinum II. He says the lack of promptness in forcing Platinum-II to leave the Indian shores violates American law, UN law, the Indian Supreme Court order and the environment ministry’s directions. It’s time for the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Ship Breaking and Environment to see through these corporate veils created by shipping companies and stand up for the environment, Krishna tells the PM.
The incident is reminiscent of French aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau, which was sent by France to India for breaking. However, French courts realised that the export was a violation of the Basel Convention and demanded its return.
The arrival of Platinum II made India an international crime scene, and the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) abetted the crime. The last time something like this happened, the exporting country recalled the ship and took responsibility.
Rakesh Bhatnagar / DNA
Sunday, January 3, 2010
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_prime-minister-to-call-shots-on-platinum-ii_1330570
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK2cYj74Jmk
The politics over the toxic ship, Platinum II is getting murkier. NewsX has learnt that ship is all set to be dismantled at the anchorage point in Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLKfyOItcGE
After waiting for more than 15 days, the central team has finally submitted its report on US toxic ship Platinum II and officially confirmed that ship has toxin on board.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn-edae-Kzc
MARAD facilitated fugitive toxic ship sale? US agency, Maritime Administration (MARAD) abets the environmental crime. A new report says the ship carries no toxic waste in loose form, which experts have termed vague and a deliberate attempt to hide realities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivnuX0gVZeY
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh explained the government stand on the controversial toxic ship after the Newx broke the story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMeJ0hqP3lM
The toxic US ship Platinum II has triggered a wave of protest among political parties. Leaders are demanding the recall of the ship, even as there are reports that it could sink.
Dead US ship Platinum II has a Greek Owner?
Press Note
Dead US ship Platinum II has a Greek Owner?
Almost two months have passed since the environment ministry's order to stop beaching and breaking of the dead and hazardous US ship but Gujarat Martime Board (GMB) has chosen to ignore its order. Curiously, it has now emerged that US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) has a Greek Owner. The evidence of the same is attached. Mr Dimitris Koukas, President/Director of Platinum Investment Services, and also Managing Director of Optima Shipbrokers Ltd. He is also listed as a business “reference” on GMS’ website.
See http://www.gmsinc.net/gms/references.php.
Notably, this was not revealed to the Central Inspection Panel that established the hazardous nature of the ship but did not inquire into the circumstances of the dead ship's arrival with the help of two tug boats and the violation of the US, Indian and UN laws. The fate of the whereabouts of the two tug boats is also not known.
In its order on US Ship "Platinum -II (formerly SS Oceanic, SS Independence) dated 9th November, 2009, the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Office%20Memorandum_ship.pdf has cited the precautionary principle and the fact that the ship not only appeared to arrive in India with false documentation but also the fact that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took legal action against Global Marketing Services (GMS) and sister company Global Shipping LLC (GSL), both companies set up by Mr. Anil Sharma, for exporting the ship from San Francisco, California in 2008 in violation of the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Later, Komalkant Sharma of Leela Ship Recycling Pvt Ltd had offered to buy the decommissioned ship for USD 4.85 million which is now being defined as a wreck. But the present owner Dimitris Koukas, President/Director of Platinum Investment Services, a business “reference” of GMS is yet to be tried for fraudulent misrepresentation and forgery of documents to enable a dead US ship to be transferred to India by violating the US law, Indian laws and UN laws by cultivating Indian officials of easy virtue.
The Platinum II arrived in Indian waters for scrapping on 8 October 2009 with papers saying its flag was that of the Republic of Kiribati and that it was owned by Platinum Investment Services of Monrovia, Liberia. We later received official confirmation from the Operations Manager at Kiribati Ship Registry, Liau Siew Leng, that the registration was a forgery. The Kiribati Ministry of Communications, Transport & Tourism Development Office further confirmed the falsified documents. The fraudulent ship registry is likely a violation of maritime law of the United States, India and Kiribati.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) allowed the vessel to be sold to a non-citizen in April 2008 under the blanket approval in 46 C.F.R. 221.13. This general approval however did not grant approval for the sale of the vessel for scrapping in a foreign country. The vessel remains under the US flag and cannot be scrapped without MARAD’s approval. It is suspected that avoidance of US government scrutiny and denial of reflag permission for the purposes of scrapping is the rationale for the falsified re-registration.
Now Shiv Ship Breaking Company is reported to be the new player in the case of US dead ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence). This new company in question works at Plot No. 36 in Alang with its office in S/10, Surya Darshan Complex, Rubber Factory Circle, Bhavnagar-364 001. Its contact numbers are as under: Tele: (O) (0278)2511211, (W) (02842)235510 (R) 2428397, Fax: 2426050, E-Mail :shivship@sancharonline.net, Contact Person: Hareshbhai Parmar (9825018111) & Ramesh Menddarpara (9825205133).
It is being claimed that no permission is required for breaking of a wreck ship. This claim by Gujarat Martime Board (GMB) makes a mockery of the authority of environment ministry and its order seeking adherence to precautionary principle, compliance with USEPA order and probe into fake documents for the advantage of US based ship owners.
In a rare gesture shipbreaking industry has joined hands with and environmental groups to seek inquiry into forgery of documents to stop and prevent such breach of national security and make our environmental borders vulnerable to hitherto unforeseen threats.
For Details:
Gopal Krishna
New Delhi
Mb: 9818089660
Skype id: witnesskrishna
E-mail: krishnagreen@gmail.com
Blog: imowatch.blogspot.com
Dead US ship Platinum II has a Greek Owner?
Almost two months have passed since the environment ministry's order to stop beaching and breaking of the dead and hazardous US ship but Gujarat Martime Board (GMB) has chosen to ignore its order. Curiously, it has now emerged that US ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence) has a Greek Owner. The evidence of the same is attached. Mr Dimitris Koukas, President/Director of Platinum Investment Services, and also Managing Director of Optima Shipbrokers Ltd. He is also listed as a business “reference” on GMS’ website.
See http://www.gmsinc.net/gms/references.php.
Notably, this was not revealed to the Central Inspection Panel that established the hazardous nature of the ship but did not inquire into the circumstances of the dead ship's arrival with the help of two tug boats and the violation of the US, Indian and UN laws. The fate of the whereabouts of the two tug boats is also not known.
In its order on US Ship "Platinum -II (formerly SS Oceanic, SS Independence) dated 9th November, 2009, the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Office%20Memorandum_ship.pdf has cited the precautionary principle and the fact that the ship not only appeared to arrive in India with false documentation but also the fact that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took legal action against Global Marketing Services (GMS) and sister company Global Shipping LLC (GSL), both companies set up by Mr. Anil Sharma, for exporting the ship from San Francisco, California in 2008 in violation of the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Later, Komalkant Sharma of Leela Ship Recycling Pvt Ltd had offered to buy the decommissioned ship for USD 4.85 million which is now being defined as a wreck. But the present owner Dimitris Koukas, President/Director of Platinum Investment Services, a business “reference” of GMS is yet to be tried for fraudulent misrepresentation and forgery of documents to enable a dead US ship to be transferred to India by violating the US law, Indian laws and UN laws by cultivating Indian officials of easy virtue.
The Platinum II arrived in Indian waters for scrapping on 8 October 2009 with papers saying its flag was that of the Republic of Kiribati and that it was owned by Platinum Investment Services of Monrovia, Liberia. We later received official confirmation from the Operations Manager at Kiribati Ship Registry, Liau Siew Leng, that the registration was a forgery. The Kiribati Ministry of Communications, Transport & Tourism Development Office further confirmed the falsified documents. The fraudulent ship registry is likely a violation of maritime law of the United States, India and Kiribati.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) allowed the vessel to be sold to a non-citizen in April 2008 under the blanket approval in 46 C.F.R. 221.13. This general approval however did not grant approval for the sale of the vessel for scrapping in a foreign country. The vessel remains under the US flag and cannot be scrapped without MARAD’s approval. It is suspected that avoidance of US government scrutiny and denial of reflag permission for the purposes of scrapping is the rationale for the falsified re-registration.
Now Shiv Ship Breaking Company is reported to be the new player in the case of US dead ship Platinum II (SS Oceanic, SS Independence). This new company in question works at Plot No. 36 in Alang with its office in S/10, Surya Darshan Complex, Rubber Factory Circle, Bhavnagar-364 001. Its contact numbers are as under: Tele: (O) (0278)2511211, (W) (02842)235510 (R) 2428397, Fax: 2426050, E-Mail :shivship@sancharonline.net, Contact Person: Hareshbhai Parmar (9825018111) & Ramesh Menddarpara (9825205133).
It is being claimed that no permission is required for breaking of a wreck ship. This claim by Gujarat Martime Board (GMB) makes a mockery of the authority of environment ministry and its order seeking adherence to precautionary principle, compliance with USEPA order and probe into fake documents for the advantage of US based ship owners.
In a rare gesture shipbreaking industry has joined hands with and environmental groups to seek inquiry into forgery of documents to stop and prevent such breach of national security and make our environmental borders vulnerable to hitherto unforeseen threats.
For Details:
Gopal Krishna
New Delhi
Mb: 9818089660
Skype id: witnesskrishna
E-mail: krishnagreen@gmail.com
Blog: imowatch.blogspot.com
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