MINUTES OF THE INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE MEETING - MINISTRY OF STEEL, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE INTER MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE HELD ON 28 TH FEBRUARY 2008 UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SHRI B.S. MEENA, ADDITI ONAL SECRETARY & FINANCIAL ADVISER, MINISTRY OF STEEL

List of participants is annexed.

2. Welcoming the participants the Chairman invited comments on the minutes of the last meeting held on 9 th August 2007. Since no comments were received, minutes of the last meeting were confirmed. Thereafter, the Chairman took up agenda items and the discussions that took place are summarized as under:

(A) Mandatory use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE )

3. Represent atives of Guj arat Maritime Board (GMB) inf ormed the Committee that they are inspecting ship breaking yards on a regular b asis and whenever they come across any l apses with regard to non- use of PPEs or use of defectivePPE’s a fine of Rs.10,000/- is imposed. During the year up to December 2007, a sum of Rs.8.60 lakhs has been recovered on this account.

4. Representatives of Directorate General of Factory Advice Service & Labour Institute (DGFASLI) clarified that their inspectors have been in Alang since 27.02.08. They are inspecting premises of ship breakers and will submit their report in about 3 weeks’ time.

(Action : DG FASLI)

(B) Starting of Trust Hospitals

5. Represent atives of GMB clarified that GMB in association with He alth Dep artment of Government of Guj arat are formulating det ailed proposal regarding use of the building to start a modern hospital. Till such time the new hospital becomes functional, GMB is providing desired support to the hospital being run by Indian Red Cross Society at Alang. Ferro Scrap Committee is also providing annual gr ant to the hospital being run by Indian Red Cross Society.

6. However, with regard to st arting of trust hospit als, AS & FA desired th at GMB should submit a concrete plan by regarding det ailed proposals for starting the new hospital.

(Action:GMB)

7. It was pointed out that the IMC is seized of the issue of phasing out of small plots for the last couple of years but not much progress has been achieved.

8. Representatives of GMB clarified that they have stopped allotting smaller plots. In so far as existing holders of smaller plots are concerned, they are being persuaded to get their plots converted into bigger plots. As regards the study which was to be carried out by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd.(ILFS) the representative of GMB clarified that there were some changes with reference to the Terms of Reference and hence the study could not be started. The matter has since been resolved and it is understood that ILFS will initiate the study and it is expected that the results would be available in about 6 months time. ILFS would also draw up the parameters and minimum requirements for a modern ship breaking unit.

(Action:GMB)

(D) Mandatory use of gas detectors

9. Represent atives of DG F ASLI clarified that they h ad carried out a det ailed study and it h as been observed that gas detectors are being used.

(No further action)

(E) Definition of Ship

10. Re present atives of Ministry of Shipping clarified that Admiralty Law is under process and at present is under the consideration of Ministry of Law.

(Action: Ministry of Shipping)

(F) Participation in Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC) and other International meetings

11. Representative of ISSAI po inted out that the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its judgment has desired that India should actively participate in the various international meetings. However, communications from DG, Shipping advising the approved composition of the delegation for attending meetings of various international organisations are either not sent or received at the l ast minute causing substantial inconvenience. AS & FA requested representatives of Ministry of Shipping to process their proposal sufficiently in advance and the requisite communications sent to all concerned including ISSAI.

(Action: Ministry of Shipping )

(G) Making available documents of MEPC

12. Represent atives of ISS AI informed the Committee that they are facing lot of diffi culties in obtaining MEPC do cuments. Representatives of Ministry of Shipping clarified that MEPC matters are being h andled by DG (Shipping) and that the Ministry of Shipping would advise DG, Shipping to make avail able documents of MEPC to ISSAI. Here it w as suggested that DG Shipping could also evolve a system to make available the documents on line and through the MEPC web site for easy access/downloading.

(Action: Ministry of Shipping)

(H) Radiological study of works by Indian Red Cross

13. Deputy Director, DG FASLI in formed the Committee that their representatives are already in Alang, Gujarat for carrying out the study and the report will be submitted shortly.

(Action: DG FASLI)

(I) Issue of gas free for hot work and other services under the Petroleum Rules

14. Representatives of Petroleum Explosive Organ isation(PESO) po inted out that keeping in view the provisions of Petroleum Act, they cannot carry out inspection of ord inary ships. They are technically equipped only to carry out inspection of petroleum vessels. One of the suggestions made was that, as the genesis of the problem arose from GMB’s notification of 2001/2003, GMB should consider carrying out necessary amendments to its notification of 2003. It was further pointed out that this issue is also a subject matter of various IAs pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

15. The representatives of various organizations i.e. PESO, DISH, GMB, Ship Breakers’ Association etc. were requested to communicate their views to MoEF so that MoEF could examine the matter and obtain the legal advice from SG/ASG for taking further appropriate action.

(Action: MoEF/GMB/PESO/DISH/ISSAI etc)

(J) Security concerns

16. Represent atives of N aval He adqu arter po inted out that because of large floating population at Alang it h as become a breeding ground for m afia and other anti national elements who are indulging in nefarious activities. He further pointed out that sometimes vessels moving to Alang for breaking do not carry sufficient fuel and may also be not sea worthy. This may cause serious accidents at sea if such vessels are drifting in areas closer to oil field development areas. He therefore requested that there should be strict en forcement of account ability of ships reporting at Alang and the port authorities must share in formation with intelligence agencies. Further Naval Headquarters should also be in formed about war ships and ships with sensitive cargo coming to Alang for ship breaking.

17. Representatives of GMB pointed out that they are sharing all information with the port authorities. It was further pointed out that the security matters at sea are being looked after by coast guards and Naval Headquarters should advise coast guards suitably in the matter.

(Action : Naval Headquarters)

18. During the course of discussions, attention was also drawn to ASG’s communication dated 9 th February, 2008 addressed to Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF) regarding resolving the Interim Applications (IA) through an inter-ministerial dialogue. The representative of MoEF agreed that as the nodal Ministry for implementation of the Supreme Court Order appropriate steps would be taken by them to initiate the inter ministerial discussions.

19. It w as decided th at the administrative Division concerned i.e. MF Desk will immediately take up the issue of initiating mutu al discussions with the Ministry of Environment & Forest (under intimation to ASG) and request for convening of a meeting.

20. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair.