Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Make in India’ mission seems to be getting a thumbs down from Bengaluru Development Minister K. J. George as far as import and recycling of e-waste is concerned. He was replying to the issue of import of e-waste raised by environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy during a workshop organized for solutions to revive Bellandur and Varthur lake on Thursday.
As the city was already facing the vexing problem of garbage and it would be environmentally hazardous to process e-waste, due to the lack of technology. Mr George announced that he would hold talks with the union government to ensure that e-waste is not imported.
“The Central government policies are left for the state government to accept or reject. We can take it up with central government and ensure no e-waste is imported,” Mr George said.
Meanwhile, the new Central government rule, abolishing direct ministerial control over the issue of clearance for importing metal scraps, paper scraps, and electronic scrap for re-use, has angered the environmentalists. They fear heavy metal discharge into the environment could pose health hazards such as kidney failures, mental disorders, physical disorders, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.
Reddy pointed out that Bengaluru generates about 37,000 tonnes of e-waste and toxins annually and leaving is untreated could pose a disaster. This new rule banishes direct ministerial control over issue of clearance for importing metal, paper, and electronic scrap, which pose a threat to the environment and biodiversity.
Environmentalists feel that in the absence of strict norms on import of such waste, it may not be discharged scientifically and would enter water bodies and food chain, thereby causing ecological disaster. The new rule authorises the state level pollution control boards to oversee the imports, reuse and exports.
Concerned about the safety of public health and environment, Reddy said, “India lacks technology to segregate waste scientifically. Considering more than 50 per cent of the population is suffering from heavy metal contamination in water, air and food, which cannot be cured, such improper rules and regulations should not be formulated. The move is mainly to satisfy western countries, as they are finding it difficult to dispose their waste due to high costs. They have found an easy way to get rid of it by sending it to India,” Reddy pointed out.
