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CONVENIENT DUMP GROUND - 'India getting more e-waste' New Delhi INDIA IS increasingly becoming a 'convenient' dumping ground for e-waste, especially computer scrap, entering mainly from the US, Singapore, Malaysia, Middle East and Belgium, and even enjoying various duty concessions, says an industry chamber. The term e-waste is loosely applied to unwanted electronic equipment like televisions, computers, laptops, printers, cell phones, cables, VCRs, copiers, fax machines, stereos, and elec tronic games. Though India has ratified the Basel Convention 1989 that strictly prohibits trans-boundary movement of hazardous substances including e-waste, importers exploit a contradiction between these rules and the exim policy. Whereas the rules prohibit the import of e-waste without spe cific permission of the Ministry of Environment and Forests the exim policy allows import of less than 10-year-old second hand computers as donations to nonprofit organisations. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in a representation to the Prime Ministers Office has sought an urgent amendment in the Indian Customs Tariff Act so that mechanism to monitor the import of old computers as donations to charities and educational institutions under 'capital goods'. So only genuine cases are allowed under the free list. Anil K Agarwal, president, ASSOCHAM. said that the need for amendment has been necessitated to clearly distinguish between old and new computers. The donor and user linkages would require to be so coupled that dumping of scrap as second hand computers become impossible. Only an all-embracing policy can deter such large-scale infringements and be the precursor to an inclusive law on the subject. Furthermore, the existing ewaste handling facilities are not within the purview of these rules leading to lack of governance and regulation, the Assocham chief said. The Assocham says though rough estimates of annual outturn of e-waste of approximately 1,50,000 tonnes have been made by a baseline survey of actual generation is essential to craft differential strategies for varying qualities and quantities and preventing trans-city movement of the e-waste. URL : http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=12_09_2006_018_013&typ=0&pub=264 |
| Also see : Environment, Environment : News Articles |
