Shipbreaking threatens life, environment

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 12: Breaking of old scrap ships is posing a serious threat to lives of workers who are engaged in the risky job without any safety measures. Shipbreaking is also polluting the environment alarmingly in the coastal area under Sitakunda upazila of the district.
Locals said sea water, air and environment in the district are being polluted due to the shipbreaking.
Sources said accident often takes place while breaking ships, leaving workers dead and injured.
On September 7, a total of 12 workers sustained critical burn injuries following a gas tank explosion at the green shipbreaking yard of SN Corporation in Sitakunda.
A total of 5 workers were killed so far in the recent accident while 7 others are undergoing treatment of burn injury.
On September 23 last, the industries ministry ordered closure of the SN Corporation Ship Breaking Yard for three months and fined it Tk 35 lakh for the accident.

Besides, the yard has been asked to cease all operations for three months as part of the disciplinary measures. Sources said despite there are more than 140 ship breaking yards at Sitakunda, only around 70 yards are active and have ships while the rest are not that active as they don't have ships.
Some of the ship breakers allegedly occupied the total business of scrap iron while rest allegedly occupied the coastal lands by taking lease from the district administration.
Meanwhile, the shipbreaking industry which was categorised as "Red" by the Department Environment (DoE) on April 26 in last year is yet to be categorized as "Orange".
There are 4/5 green ship breaking yards in Sitakunda including PHP Ship Recycling, Kabir Ship Recycling Facilities and SN Corporation. But, the accident took place at SN Corporation which is also a green yard. But, the overall condition of the ship breaking is still not up to the mark.
They are releasing the liquid and solid waste in the sea water and around the environment regularly, around 40 Ship breaking yards claiming themselves as ISO 30000 certified by local agency but not at all meeting any requirement of international standard, one researcher of NGO preferring anonymity said.
Mohammad Ali Shahin, program manager of non  government development organization YPSA and a ship breaking expert, told The Financial Express that some Bangladeshi Ship-breakers misled the international market saying that they are having Green Certificate. But the green certificate is issued by a UK based agency depending on the level of
Around 40,000 workers engaged in shipbreaking are now working in a hazardous atmosphere at high risk of life.
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