Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Najma Heptulla for ban on dumping of waste

CHENNAI: Najma A. Heptulla, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Sub-ordinate Legislation (Rajya Sabha) and Member of Parliament, has demanded a ban on dumping of all kinds of waste, especially e-waste and biomedical waste.

“The 15-member Parliamentary Committee is examining ways of making the laws on the dumping of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes more stringent and ensuring effective implementation of the proposed laws. A detailed report will be tabled in Parliament during the session this month,” Ms. Heptulla told a press conference here on Thursday.

She said there was unanimity among the committee members on the need for a ban on the dumping of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. The committee, she said, was shocked to find that more than 50,000 tonnes of municipal and hazardous waste was being dumped on the Indian coast, especially in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. “The United Kingdom and the United States has offloaded more than 8 lakh tonnes of municipal waste in India, and it is high time that a total ban on hazardous and non-hazardous waste was introduced,” she said.

She had also met officials of the Chennai Port Trust and the Tuticorin Port Trust. Ms. Heptulla noted that the committee would hear the views of private hospitals on Saturday. As for the Sethusamudram project, Ms. Heptulla said she had opposed it as a zoologist and a Rajya Sabha Member, since it would affect the marine life. The committee held meetings with representatives of oil companies and the State government on the LPG (regulation of use in motor vehicles) Order 2001 and the Kerosene (restriction of the use and fixation of ceiling price) Order 1993 and related amendments.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu