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Gujarat Maritime Board has issued a notice to the agent of the vessel, Gulf Safwa, which is being brought for dismantling at Alang Shipbreaking Yard near here.
The ship, suspected to be carrying some toxic materials and residues, had earlier been asked not to proceed.
Gulf Safwa's agent, Mr J.M. Baxi, had been issued a notice to submit the necessary documents, the board's officials said on Friday, adding that the ship had been stopped near the Gopnath anchorage point.
According to the officials, the ship was stopped as its name is similar to the ship, Gulf Jash, which is reportedly laden with toxic materials and heading for Alang.
Hence, the ship had been stopped on the basis of suspicion, and would be thoroughly examined by the Customs and Gujarat Pollution Control Board for any toxic substances and legality of documents, they said.
Hazardous substances
The board had earlier alerted officials at its ports following reports quoting a global group of activists — Shipbreaking Platform — that a toxic material-laden ship, Probo Koala, built in 1989 and now renamed Gulf Jash, was coming to Gujarat.
Reports said the ship contained tonnes of hazardous substances such as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, toxic paints, fuel and chemical residues, etc, which had not been cleaned up.
The Union Environment Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, had sought a report from the Gujarat Government after the reports, but the Government earlier said that no such ship was coming to Alang according to its information.
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