NEW DELHI: Taking a serious note of illegal storage and recycling of e-waste and hazardous waste in Seemapuri and Mandoli areas in the national capital, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Delhi administration watch dog Delhi Pollution Control Committee(DPCC) to take stringent action against such illegal units.
Strangely, neither the DPCC nor municipal corporations has any details regarding these illegal storage and recycling units running in Seemapuri and Mandoli areas. “Directions are hereby issued to you to ensure immediate closure of all illegal and unauthorised collection, storage and recycling units operating in Seemapuri and Mandoli areas. Such units should not be permitted to operate unless they comply with the provisions of the Hazardous Waste Management rules”, wrote CPCB chairman Susheel Kumar in a letter to DPCC.
The CPCB has also sought an Action Taken Report(ATR) within 15 days in this regard. “The DPCC is required to ensure that no collection, storage, dismantling /recycling of e-waste and lead scrap be carried out as per the provisions of HWM (Hazardous Waste Management and Handling) Rules 2008,” the letter said.
On the other hand, the officials of DPCC are tightlipped over any records regarding illegal collection, storage and recycling of e-waste and lead scrap that is hazardous to health. “We are going to write to civic bodies (enquiring whether) they have any data or records in this regard. The DPCC is also planning to conduct a field survey to get an exact assessment of these units,” said an official.
He also said that storing e-waste like this is a huge risk. “Unskilled labourers handling dismantling work are exposed to several chemicals that are present in the electronic goods.