French President Jacques Chirac has ordered the asbestos-lined warship Clemenceau to return to French waters after a ruling by the highest court, BBC Online reports Wednesday.
The court had demanded an end to the transfer of the decommissioned warship to a breaking yard in India after complaints from environmentalists.
Greenpeace and three anti-asbestos groups said the ship was an environmental and health hazard. The ship is in the Arabian Sea after India refused entry to its waters.
Greenpeace welcomed the decision as a “victory for Indian workers” and those who work in ship-breaking claiming it was a victory for the protection of the fundamental rights of the individual and the environment.
On Tuesday, the French defence minister announced an inquiry to clarify how much asbestos had been stripped from the French warship before it left Toulon on New Years eve. Michele Alliot-Marie said there was a 30-ton discrepancy between the amount a French firm said it had removed and the amount received at a waste site.
The decision by the State Council, Frances highest court, takes effect immediately. The case now goes back to a Paris administrative court for a detailed legal ruling, which could take up to six months, BBC adds.
