India urged to ban 'toxic ship'

NEW DELHI, Tuesday (BBC) The Indian government has been urged by the environmental campaign group, Greenpeace, not to allow a Danish ship carrying toxic waste to be scrapped.

Greenpeace says that the King Frederik IX ship, is carrying dangerous and carcinogenic asbestos insulation.

The vessel docked at the Alang ship breaking yard in the western state of Gujarat. Greenpeace says that government officials are now examining the ship to see whether it has any toxic materials.

The Danish government has urged India to refuse entry to the ship, because it is in breach of an international agreement to stop contaminated ships from sailing across the oceans.

A letter sent by the Danish Ministry of the Environment to the Indian minister for Environment and Forests says that the matter is of "great concern" to the Danish authorities.

The letter says that the 51-year-old ship should be sent back to Denmark where it can be stripped of its hazardous waste.

"By doing this we can send a strong signal that neither India nor Denmark will accept the export of environmental problems that could be solved locally," the letter says.

"It will also show that our governments will not allow this kind of foul play which will result in lasting damage to the environment."

Greenpeace says it has also sent a letter to the Indian government asking it not to give permission for the vessel to be broken up in Indian territory.