Ban Dumping of Hazardous Obsolete Ships in Indian Waters

To

Shri Sitaram Yechury
Chairman
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture
New Delhi

Through RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT


Subject-Ban on Dumping of Hazardous Obsolete Ships in Indian Waters

Sir,

This is to draw your attention to my letter to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and Cabinet Committee on Security in the matter of the entry of unmanned 21-year-old and 2,000-tonnne vessel MT Pavit with flag of Panama entered Indian waters in an apparent collaboration with the UK and US Defence agencies. (the letter is given below)

I also wish to draw your attention towards the sinking of MV Rak Carrier that was built in 1984 with IMO NO 8106745. This vessel that reportedly drifted about 20 Miles Off Mumbai on 4th August, 2011 also has a Panama flag.

I submit that it is apprehended that the 225 meters long Cargo Ship MV Rak Carrier carrying on board 60,000 tonnes of coal for Adani Enterprise Limited (AEL) was near India's Mumbai coast on the afternoon of 4th August, 2011 to claim insurance money for its cargo of 60054 MT cargo of coal on board unmindful of its ecological consequences and the hazardous nature for the ship itself. The real owner of the company which owns the ship is not known. It has been reported that it is owned by M/s. Delta Shipping Marine Services, a Qatar based company. There is a need to pierce the corporate veil behind this company to find out the real motives of such ship owners.

I submit that your committee may consider undertaking a inquiry into the dubious goings on in the shipping sector and the failure of Shipping Ministry in general and DG Shipping in particular.

I submit that the current presumption of genuineness of fabricated documents must be rejected urgently. I suggest that the documents of more than 100 ships that have entered or have been sunk must be investigated and their ownership be traced. This could be the first step in securing our environmental and maritime security which has been compromised by hazardous wastes traders and other vested interests.

I will be happy to share all the documents based on which I have made the above submissions.

Thanking You

Yours Faithfully
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
New Delhi
Mb: 09818089660, 07739308480
E-mail:krishna2777@gmail.com
Web: toxicswatch.blogspot.com, imowatch.blogspot.com