40 pc of INS Viraat dismantled, can’t be converted into museum: SC
New Delhi, 12 April (HS): Dismissing the plea to convert India’s decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat into a museum, the Supreme Court on Monday said that about 40 percent of the aircraft carrier has already been dismantled.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian told the counsel representing private firm Envitech Marine Consultants Pvt Ltd, “You are too late as the 40 percent of the ship is already dismantled, how will you make it a museum.”
The bench said, “Somebody had paid good money for the ship, the govt has entered into a legal transaction for the sale of the ship.” The bench noted that it is with a private firm on the aspect of spirit of its nationalism, but it came to the top court very late.
A private firm Shree Ram Group at Alang in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat bought Viraat at an auction in July last year at Rs 38.54 crore. The firm began the dismantling process in December last year.
Petitioner in-person Rupali Sharma, appearing for Envitech Marine, had submitted that they wanted to examine the ship to ascertain the status of dismantling. The bench replied, “it has now become a private property and it does not have a character of warship.”
Earlier on February 10, the top court had said: “Issue notice. In the meantime, parties are directed to maintain status quo with regard to dismantling/breaking of the subject-ship known as INS Viraat, as on date.”
