India update

India update

7 September 2007

For over a year, a ship containing toxic wastes has idled in a Gujarat port while legal wrangling continued over responsiblity for its break up and final disposal

Last week, the Indian Supreme court heard overwhelming evidence, not only that there was asbestos on the vessel, but also radioactive materials.

Finally, it seems the ship (ironically, it's called "Blue Lady") will now have to be towed back to Germany, the port of departure.

See previous mailing on this site:

http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press1171.htm

Attacks by Maoist (aka Naxalite) guerillas are alleged to have caused the loss of 1. 6 million tonnes of iron ore production since 2006, at state-owned NMDC's Bailadila mines in Orissa..

Nonviolent protests by an all-party group in Andhra Pradesh against a proposed alumininum refinery, have been launched with a hunger strike. Howeer, it organisers state that failure to close the project will lead to a "blood bath."

While opposition grows to the opening up of new uranium deposits in Meghalaya and elswhere, a private Indian company claims to have been granted exclusive rights to explore for uranium in the African state of Niger.

What the company may not know is that mines operated by French-based Areva (formerly Cogema) in the country have of late been attacked by a Tuareg rebel group.