There are more than 40,000 workers that earn their livelihoods from the downstream of shipbreaking in Bhavnagar city, majority being women workers. SEWA has organised more than 10,000 women workers here.

The Recycling of Ships Act, 2019, provides certain standards and lays down the statutory mechanisms for its enforcement only at the ship breaking at the yards. But this Act or the Draft Regulations under this Act do not contain any provisions relating to the ship breaking/recycling activities undertaken outside the ship breaking yards, i.e. downstream recycling, involving discarded anchor ropes, scrap materials and other e-waste.

Therefore it was important to put forward our suggestions/ amendments to the Draft Regulations of this Act, so that it is inclusive of the downstream workers and their livelihoods are protected through it. The same were submitted to the Union Labour Minister as well as the Directorate of Shipping in India.

Read SEWA’s suggestions / amendments: Draft Amendment Downstream workers-Clean