The wait for the controversial US passenger ship Platinum II off the Bhavnagar coast may just get longer. For, the Central team inspection report though confirms presence of various toxic substances, it is finding difficult to make quantitative analysis of the hazardous material.

Following the team’s report, environmental groups are demanding that the ship must be sent back to its original country. But the Gujarat Maritime Board and Gujarat Pollution Control Board are awaiting the decision of the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE).

“It’s the MoEF to take a decision on the report. As of now, the department has not received any communiqué from the ministry,” said S K Nanda, Principal Secretary (Forest).

The report said that complete physical verification of the ship was not possible. “The inspection team comprised untrained experts (who were) not conversant with climbing to the top of ship using monkey ladder,” the team cited this as the reason for its inability to inspect the top of the nine-deck passenger ocean liner.

The inspection team, led by A Das, Industry Advisor to the Steel Ministry, had visited the ship anchored off the Bhavnagar coast near Gopnath on October 20 following allegations by NGO Indian Platform for Ship Breaking (IPSB) that it contains hazardous substance.

Gopal Krishan of the IPSB said, “The report suggests that inspection is only half done. It clearly states that that team couldn’t do quantitative analysis of PCB.”