The Hindu : New Delhi News : Expert agencies may deal with scrap

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Expert agencies may deal with scrap

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, OCT. 13. Even as brainstorming sessions are under way to chalk out measures to be adopted to ensure import of "clean" -- non-explosive--scrap, the authorities here are also exploring the possibility of making it mandatory for the importers to obtain clearance for all loose scrap coming in from any part of the world through certain agencies which have already been earmarked for inspection and certification of scrap coming in from "war zones".

At present, there are as many as 23 such agencies in and outside the country which are authorised to inspect scrap imported from the "war zones". In such cases, the export companies are required to get them cleared from one of these agencies and obtain a certificate declaring that the scrap does not contain any hazardous or dangerous material before being loaded in containers and shipped. These agencies, which have their offices the world over, include Alex Stewart International Corporation of Rotterdam in Netherlands; Alfred H Knight Ferous Limited of Merseyside in the United Kingdom; Bureau of Indian Standards here in Delhi; Bureau Veritas of Paris, which also has its office in Mumbai; Det Norske Veritas in Mumbai; Director General STQC Directorate Department of Electronics at CGO Complex here in South Delhi; and Gulf Inspection Agencies in Kuwait.

The war zone scrap consignments can also be inspected and certified by agencies like Indian Register Quality Systems in Mumbai; BSI Inspectorate Limited at Withan Essex CMB 3TU England; Underwriters Laboratory in Bangalore; American Quality Assessors in Hyderabad; Metallurgical & Engineering Consultants Limited at Ranchi in Jharkhand; Nippon Kai ji Kentai and Shin Nihon Ketei Kyokai of Tokyo in Japan; Societe General De Surveillance Sa in Geneva; Moody International at Belapur in Navi Mumbai. Officials at the Inland Container Deport (ICD) here in Tughlakabad, which as per the latest Commerce Ministry notification has been made the only inland port for clearance of loose and non-compact metal scrap apart from 12 major gateway ports, also feel that the inspection and certification of scrap consignments coming from any part of the world, including the "war zones", should be carried out by these agencies. "This would, to a great extent, ensure that the scrap shown to have been imported even from "peace zones" also gets clearance from these agencies before being sent. Such a measure would certainly discourage exporters and their agents from taking in live explosives and other hazardous materials for scrap," said an official.

He informed that the scrap meant for Bhushan Steel and Strips in Ghaziabad had been dispatched from Iran, said to be a "peace zone", but it contained live rocket shells.

The officials said inspection by these agencies would also help in detecting presence of hazardous material long before they entered the country. "In case of places where these agencies do not have offices, the authorities concerned can explore other arrangements with their counterparts in those places," the official added. Besides, it is also being said that the slack security mechanism at ports was responsible for such incidents. Some officials observed that stringent compliance of maritime security codes like the International Port Facility and Security (ISPS) Code, which was formulated following the 9/11 incident, could also prevent entry of lethal scrap.

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