New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI)A Bill that restricts the use of hazardous material on ships and regulates the recycling of ships on Monday recieved the nod from Parliament with the Rajya Sabha passing it by a voice vote./
The Recycling of Ships Bill 2019 was moved for consideration in the Upper House by Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya.
Replying to a debate on the Bill in the House, the Minister assured the Elders that recycling of ships will ensure employment opportunities, safety of labourers and that environment will be kept in mind while the recycling work is on.
'The Hong Kong Convention is in favour of India. In our country, at once 131 ships can be beached together at a time. We have nature's abundance that supports ship recycling,'he said.
On the issue of name change of the Bill raised by a Member, the Minister said, 'Because 95 per cent of ship gets recycled, that is why this name has been given to the bill.'
Responding to the concerns raised by several Members that India will become a 'dumping site' like this,
Mr Mandaviya said, 'I request you members to once visit Alang Ship Breaking Yard as materials that are extracted from ships are getting sold there.'
Alang has been developed to keep the labourers interests in mind as two hospitals have been made there for any emergency, also hazardous waste removal system is in place there.
To a concern raised by Sukhendu Sekhar Roy of AITC that a National Authority proposed in the Bill looking after by one person is not justifiable, the Minister said, 'I agree that one person is not enough for this authority, so we have decided to keep five-six people in this authority.'
He assured that employment will not be taken away as the number of sea farers has increased to 2,40,000 in two years. Blue revolution will be in place.
He said that earlier, Maersk Shipping Line's ships were not recycled in India, but now they are also getting recycled here in our country, which is a great achievement.
The Minister said a ship owner must apply to the National Authority for a ready for recycling certificate before recycling his ship. The Ship Recycler must prepare a ship recycling plan which should be approved by the Competent Authority.
The Bill defines ship recycling as the dismantling of a ship at a facility to recover the components and materials for reuse, and taking care of the hazardous material so produced. It includes associated operations such as storage and treatment of materials and components on site.
When Vijila Sathyananth of AIADMK sought clarification that whether recycling shipping industry will be set up in Tamil Nadu, the Minister assured her that once the state government give its proposal, 'we can carry forward the process.'
The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister on November 25, 2019.
UNI AE AR 1842