ISLAMABAD, (SANA): Speakers at a
seminar have emphasized the need to recognize ship-breaking as an industry and
develop a coherent environment-friendly ship-recycling strategy as it is a
source of livelihood for many and can also contribute in terms of boosting
employment in the country.
The seminar on “Sustainable
Ship-recycling Industry”, organized by the Sustainable Development Policy
Institute, Pakistan (SDPI).
The seminar also featured the
launch of a research report titled “Pakistan Ship Breaking Outlook: The Way
Forward for a Green Ship-recycling Industry”.
The research report was a joint
effort of SDPI and the Non-Governmental Organization Ship Breaking Platform
(NSP). The session was moderated by Dr. Mahmood A. Khawaja, Senior Adviser on
Chemicals and Sustainable Industrial Development at SDPI.
In his welcome address, Dr. Abid
Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, encouraged the efforts of NSP for
highlighting environmental and health related aspects of the ship-breaking
industry at the international level.
He observed that the industry
needs to be recognized as it is a source of livelihood for many and can also
contribute in terms of boosting employment in the country.
Kanwar Javed, lead author of the
report, informed that the study analyses the global economic and legal
framework in which the ship breaking industry in Pakistan is embedded. The
study also sheds light on the linkages of the sector to the global maritime
industry and its recycling practices.
The report includes a case study
based on the current conditions in the ship breaking yards at the coastal
region of Gadhani, Pakistan. The report goes on to propose a way forward for a
greener and environment-friendly ship recycling industry in Pakistan.
Patrizia Heidegger, Executive Director
of NSP and also a co-author in the report, introduced the main findings of the
report. She shared that Pakistan still does not have any have defined Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) to deal with hazardous wastes and other materials
retrieved from ships. To make matters worse, hazardous waste from ship-breaking
activity has been accumulating over the years in Gadhani.
She highlighted that there was an
urgent need to establish waste-management facilities in the ship-breaking
industry in Pakistan so as to avoid environmental and health damages that
accrue from these activities.
She also pointed out that
ship-breaking has now been formally recognized as an industry at the
international level. There are lessons that can be learnt, particularly in terms
of setting industrial rules and regulations, from ship-breaking industries in
countries like China and India.
Moreover, law enforcement in
Pakistan remains weak, despite the fact that environment related laws are
already in place in the country, such as the Pakistan Environment Protection
Act 1997 and Factories Act 1934. “With joint efforts from relevant government
bodies, shipbreaking industry, civil society and a special support from
international organisations, ship-breaking in Paksitan can be turned into
modern business safe industry”, she stressed.
Helen Previer, Chairperson, NGO
Ship-breaking Platform, said that the overarching goal of the organization is
to prevent toxic end-of-life ships from being beached in developing countries.
She said the goal of NSP is to find sustainable solutions that encompass the
principles of human rights, environmental justice, “polluter pays”, and clean
production.
Arifa Khalid, Member of National
Assembly, appreciated the activity of engaging in policy discussion and
dialogue for research. She observed that through such activities, policy makers
as well as the masses can be made aware of pressing issues in public policy for
social welfare. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, a renowned environmental lawyer from
Bangladesh, emphasized the need to communicate to the international community
that developing nations should not be used as dumping grounds for hazardous
waste and pollutants that come with discarded ships.
Robert Evans, former British
parliamentarian said that in South Asian ship-breaking yards, workers are
exposed to chemicals which can deeply harm the nervous system. Organic
pollution coming from sewage can cause serious health risks for workers.
He emphasized that the
ship-breaking industry in Pakistan is still non-cognizant of international laws
and thus fails to protect its own workers from hazardous waste. Majid Bashir,
Advocate Supreme Court, discussed that present judiciary has announced green
benches to oversee environmental issues in the country. However, it is
important to follow compliance reporting and guidelines provided by these
conventions.
Speakers at the event also
stressed issues such as workers’ health and safety rights, freedom of
association, worker welfare and benefits, contractual agreements compatible
with worker issues, and due diligence to labor laws. A representative from the
Shipbreaking Labour Union in Gadhani demanded a raise in workers’ wages. It was
also highlighted that workers that need to be made award of health related
aspects of their activities in the industry. International laws with regards to
ship-breaking have already been recognized in many countries, and it is about
time that the Government of Pakistan steps up efforts in this direction.
Source:
sana news. 30 October 2013
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