TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The tourism ministry has turned the heat on ship breakers Arihant Ship Breaker Pvt Ltd Mumbai and directed them to submit an action plan to remove the remaining portion of M V River Princess wreck within ten days.
The ministry shot off a strongly worded communiqué to the company, the third one since the monitoring committee meeting held on December 10, 2012, it asked Arihant to get its act together and remove the remaining portion lying below the sea bed before the monsoons or face action.
The communiqué directs Arihant to immediately submit a detailed plan on the method and operational techniques for removing the wreck. The ministry also directed the company to renew the bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore immediately and unconditionally.
“We have had enough of patience and time has come to crack the whip if the work is not completed before the monsoons,” tourism minister Dilip Parulekar told media Friday.
‘It is regretted to note that your company has not presented the detailed plan and methodology for removal of the wreck and the time frame within which the work will be completed till date,’ says the communiqué from the tourism ministry.
This delay, it fears, has caused loss of precious fair weather days in the process.
The tourism ministry points out that only after the action plan is submitted that it would be able to obtain necessary clearances and permissions for the execution of the work. It points out that the monitoring committee has to get the company’s methodology approved so that the wreck is removed without damaging the environment and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement dated April 25, 2011 executed between the tourism ministry and Arihant Ship Breakers Pvt Ltd.
The communiqué hits out at the cavalier attitude displayed by the company in the past where tall claims were made that the entire wreck had been removed when scientific reports later indicated that major portion of the wreck was still lying on the sea bed, thereby raising serious doubts on the intentions and capabilities of the company.
The ministry has not taken lightly feedback of the company that its bankers have advised obtaining of customs clearance for renewal of the bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore.
‘We fail to understand this unusual stand of the bankers regarding linking of issues of renewal of bank guarantee and obtaining customs clearance certificate and environmental clearance,’ says the tourism ministry’s communiqué. It adds further that in any case the burden of providing renewal of bank guarantee lies on the company and the same should be unconditionally provided without any delay.
