19 August 2011

Bangladesh - Green Shipbreaking industry:

The country’s shipbreaking industry that’s growing fast will quickly live green and workers-friendly as steps are ongoing to safeguard environmental surroundings and provide better benefits to workers.

And it’ll also turn one of the leading tools to enhance the economy, stakeholders hope. Experience and concepts gained from different shipbreaking nations like India and china are actively being considered in formulating the guidelines and regulations for shipbreaking that was recently formally recognised being an industry. The parties active in the sector said they’d go like a serious job to make certain that least damage is performed towards the environment and deals can be found towards the workers involved in the sector. Ship-breaking yard owners pledged to implement and stick to the regulations being taken through the government to assist grow the sector making a substantial contribution towards the economy and generate employments.

“We’re relocating the best direction. Just wait and find out. Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry will quickly be recognised like a global example because of its environment-friendly growth and expansion,” industries minister Dilip Barua told this news agency correspondent AKM Moinuddin after visiting three shipbreaking yards in China. He explained certain quarters are raising questions hindering the development from the sector within the name of environmental stewardship, but such doubts will appear reduced in 2 years from now.

He hoped the will are a world leader “within the following five years” and behave as among the key tools for driving the economical growth.

“Experience gained from china will let us formulate regulations for that shipbreaking industry,” he explained. Speaking with this correspondent, Bangladesh Shipbreakers’ Association president Hefazatur Rahman said: “It’s good to possess regulations.

Since it’s now under government, it’ll run differently by ensuring workers rights and protecting environmental surroundings.”Replying to some question, he explained they’d have no problems to follow along with the guidelines and regulations set through the government strictly if those are made depending on Bangladesh’s perspective.

Association’s technical adviser captain Salahuddin Ahmed said the industries ministry must have its technique to promote the sector ensuring green growth. “Hope, the China experience can help (us) much in connection with this.”

Shipbreaking Yards Workers Foundation president Md Safar Ali said everything is changing fast and also the personnel are relatively inside a better condition.

“Now the victim’s family gets Tk one lakh in cash if any worker dies in a accident, that was rare before. We’re spending so much time to make sure workers’ rights,” he explained.

Last month 13, the federal government declared the shipbreaking being an industry following a high-profile meeting, where pm Sheikh Hasina, numerous ministers, advisers and senior officials were give discuss the sector’s both good and bad sides.

The shipbreaking industry, located in the seashore in Chittagong, may be the main supply of majority of the recycleables utilized by some 500 private sector rerolling mills and nearly 50 steel mills for generating mild steel rods, bars and angles at reasonable prices.

The environmentalists fear that it’s not regulated and also the aimless growth could trigger a significant environmental degradation and health risks, but industries minister Dilip Barua said, “This fear and doubt would disappear”.

“We’ll have a pragmatic in addition to environment- and workers- friendly policy to guarantee the sector’s sustainability, the industry must for that country’s economic development,” he explained.

The growing interest in steel products in the United States has encouraged a great number of private sector individuals to be concerned in the market that turned out to be very rewarding when it comes to profit and employment generation.

However, you will find allegations the shipbreakers often violate environmental surroundings by dumping hazardous chemicals along with other materials about the sea-beach, rather callously.

The federal government has prepared a draft rule titled ‘Shipbreaking and Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2010’ that’s been posted about the official website from the Secretary of state for Environment and Forests seeking public thoughts and opinions onto it.

Source: Bangladesh Xplore for Life. 13 August 2011

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