The Supreme Court of India heard the Writ Petition (Civil) 657 of 1995 on 16th January, 2006 and directed its listing in the third week of January, 2006. The court listed the matter in view of a report submitted by the Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Waste constituted by it on October 14, 2003 in the backdrop of a asbestos laden French military ship on the way to Alang, Gujarat for dismantling. Gujarat Maritime Board had appointed a company, the Gujarat Enviro Protection and Infrastructure Ltd (GEPIL) to go to France and submit a report on the hazardous material on the French ship. GEPILs report is still awaited which, not surprisingly, is a company of Sree Ram and part of the Luthra Group. Ship breaking activity grew into a full-fledged industry by 1979 after Government recognised it as a manufacturing industry. Ban Asbestos Network of India has campaigned against it and sought adherence to Basel Convention and Asbestos Convention to safeguard enviro-occupational health.
