Union Cabinet ratifies ban on 7 hazardous chemicals

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 7

The Union Cabinet today ratified ban on seven Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) listed under Stockholm Convention and hazardous to health and environment.

“With today’s decision, India is sending out a positive message to the world that we are active in this area and we do not tolerate health and environmental hazard,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

• Also read: Nod to reforms in natural gas marketing

The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs, which are identified chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms, adversely affect human health/ environment and have the property of long-range environmental transport.

Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to central and peripheral nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders and interference with normal infant and child development.

Considering its commitment towards providing safe environment and addressing human health risks, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had notified the Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules, on March 5, 2018, under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

The regulation inter alia prohibited the manufacture, trade, use, import and export of seven chemicals, namely Chlordecone, Hexabromobiphenyl, Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE), Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE), Pentachlorobenzene, Hexabromocyclododecane and Hexachlorobutadiene.

The approval demonstrates India’s commitment to meet its international obligations with regard to protection of environment and human health. The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility financial resources in updating the NIP.

Revised cost for Kolkata metro project okayed

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved revised cost for Kolkata East West Metro Corridor Project for Kolkata city and surrounding urban areas, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said. Estimated completion cost of the project is Rs 8,575 crore and the target date of completion is December 2021. The project envisages construction of a metro corridor between Salt Lake Sector-V to Howrah Maidan in West Bengal for a total route length of 16.6 km, Goyal said. PTI