Press release - January 19, 2006
NEW DELHI, India — Greenpeace activists took the campaign against the illegal import of the Clemenceau to the doorstep of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), holding up a banner stating 'Don't make India a waste dump' and lining up barrels painted with the letters C L E M E N C E A U. Greenpeace also delivered hundreds of petition postcards signed by Indian citizens in eight cities, with the clear demand that Minister A. Raja do the right thing, and ask France to take back the toxic decommissioned aircraft carrier.
Greenpeace activists on vigil outside the Minister of Environment and Forests, bringing postcards signed by 3500 citizens, demanding that the Minister reject the Clemenceau unless fully decontaminated.
"These barrels are symbolic of the fact that the Clemenceau is
nothing but a consignment of hazardous and toxic waste being dumped
onto Indian soil," said Ramapati Kumar, Toxics Campaigner,
Greenpeace, "The ministry's position that the ship is hazardous
only if it contains toxic cargo is shockingly regressive. An
environment minister who takes such a clearly illegal position can,
at best, be considered incompetent. Should he need clarification,
we are here to remind him that toxic substances are intrinsic to
the structure of the ship and must be decontaminated if we have to
protect our people and environment."
"There is no doubt regarding the illegality of the import of the
ship under the Basel Convention. Now more than ever India needs to
send a strong and clear signal to the developed world that we will
not accept their wastes. If India fails to implement the Basel
Convention we will only invite international ridicule", said
Madhumita Dutta of Corporate Accountability Desk, The Other Media,
"The MoEF must set the right precedent with Clemenceau, and ensure
that the French government issue a public apology for
misrepresenting facts and for submitting invalid documents. This is
the least they owe the people of India."
The Prime Minister of India, in response to a delegation
representing environmentalists' and trade unions' concerns
regarding the Clemenceau, said that he would 'look into the matter
and do the needful.'
Greenpeace and the Corporate Accountability desk are demanding
that the Indian government take a firm stand against France'
attempt to send its waste to India, and reject the import of the
Clemenceau until it has been thoroughly decontaminated.
For further information, contact
Ramapati Kumar, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace: +919845535414
Vinuta Gopal, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace: +919845535418
Greenpeace India Media Team: +919810850092 / +919343788424
