Ease e-waste rules: MAIT

Hardware industry body — MAIT has asked the Ministry of Environment & Forests to simplify procedures of the new e-Waste management rules to increase compliance.

“The apprehensions voiced by MAIT when the rules were first notified are coming true and in the absence of clarity on certain matters, the industry is not sure if the compliance steps adopted by them will serve the intended purpose,” Manufacturers Association for Information Technology (MAIT) President Alok Bharadwaj said.

E-Waste rules, notified in 2011 and aimed at safe handling and disposal of the growing volumes of e-Waste in the country, had come into effect in May this year.

The rules mention obtaining an authorisation from the concerned SPCB or PCC (Pollution Control Committee) from multiple states, which adds to the administrative burden, according to MAIT.

“A single authorisation will improve level of compliance amongst the companies,” it said.

 Besides, different states have different parameters for accepting applications and some states even demand fees along with the applications, which is another challenge, Manufacturers Association for Information Technology added.

“We urge Ministry of Environment & Forests to take immediate steps to mitigate these problems by simplifying procedures to increase the levels of compliance,” MAIT Executive Director Sabyasachi Patra said.