Greenpeace accuses France of hiding facts about toxic ship

Greenpeace today accused France of hiding information and defying India’s top court over Clemenceau, a decommissioned French warship heading for a Indian shipbreaking yard and alleged to contain toxic waste.

The environment group also expressed disappointment over a reported division among a panel of experts mandated to suggest whether to let the ship into Indian territorial waters.

Indian media reports said seven of the 10 members favoured the ship’s entry into Indian territorial waters. The Supreme Court is expected to decide on the issue on Monday.

“The spectacular display of contempt that the government of France has for Indian laws and the legitimate concerns of the citizens of India is shocking ... They were officially asked by the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee ... three times to produce the inventory of the decommissioned aircraft carrier, but each time they came up with an unconvincing tame excuse.”