GOA, INDIA - A Workshop on "Hazardous Waste Management” - Challenges, Prospects and Strategies, was organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Association with Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change and World Trade Centre, Goa on 23rd March 2017 at Panaji, Goa Smt. R. Menaka, IAS, Director of Industries Trade & Commerce, Govt. of Goa, in her inaugural address congratulated PHD Chamber & WTC for organizing the Workshop on Hazardous Waste. She further emphasized that hazardous waste is to be managed properly and 3A’s should be taken care of that is Attitude, Awareness and Action. 

The provisions of the new rules are in line with the government’s prioritizing of responsible concerns for sustainable development and protection of Ganges and Yamuna. The new hazardous waste rules will help in disposable in an environmentally sound manner and the rules have been revised indicating a stringent approach for management of hazardous waste along with simplification of procedure. She also highlighted that the Industries Department of Government of Goa is taking various initiatives like setting up of Industrial Space, Sheds for recycling, pre–processing, registering the workers, involved in recycling and undertaking Industrial skill development activities and Training are in the pipe-line. She welcomed any recommendations in regard to the Hazardous Waste Management and assured that Industries Department of Goa will work together with all the stake holders concerned.

Mr. Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlighted that with the introduction of new rules on Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, sets out the priority actions that should be undertaken within the lifetime of the Plan in relation to: the prevention of hazardous waste; improved collection rates for certain categories of hazardous waste; steps that are required to improve India’s self –sufficiency in hazardous waste management and the continued identification and regulation of legacy issues (e.g., identification, risk assessment and regularization of historic unregulated waste disposal sites).  Also he emphasized that as a responsible citizen, we should take up the matters in our own hands in creating awareness in the society at large. Industries should also take the responsibility of their actions by proper treatment and disposal of their waste products.  

Mr. Abhinav Apte, GM, SWM Cell, Department of Science and Technology, Goa, talked in detail about the new Hazardous Waste Rules 2016.  Further he said that for the first time rules have been made to distinguish between hazardous waste and other waste.  All the forms under the rules for permission, import/export, filing of annual returns, transportation etc. have been revised significantly and the procedure is very much simplified now. Responsibility of State Government for management of hazardous and other wastes has been introduced in the new rules and State Pollution Control Board is mandated to prepare an annual inventory of the waste generated, waste recycled, recovered,utilized.

Mr. Nawal Kishore Verma, Former Addl. Director, Central Pollution Control Board, stressed on three R’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The primary responsibility of the generator of hazardous waste is to prevent such waste generation. If one cannot prevent the generation, the generator must at least minimize hazardous waste. Also we should try to reuse and recycle the waste and disposable should be the last option. Ms. Parul Nanda, Senior Sales Manager, South Central, ACC Limited, said that co-processing has emerged as a sustainable and viable business model for cement manufacturers in managing hazardous waste.

Other eminent speakers who spoke in the workshop included  Mr. Suraj Gaikwad, Sr. Offficer, SMS Envirocare Ltd. Mr. Somnath Malgar, Head, Mumbai Water Management Ltd. Mr. Krishna Kulkarni, Head – HSE, Vedanta Sesa Goa Iron Ore, Mr. Richard Dias, General Manager, Operations & Maintenance, Hindustan Waste Treatment (P) Ltd and Mr. Cyril Desouza, Asst. Director, World Trade Centre, Goa. Ms. Kanchan Zutshi, Secretary, Environment Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry moderated the workshop.

In Photo From (L-R) : Mr Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Smt. R Menaka, IAS, Director of Industries, Trade & Commerce, Government of Goa, Mr Nawal Kishor Verma, Former Addl. Director, Central Pollution Control Board, Mr Abinav Apte, GM SWM Cell, Department of Science and Technology, Goa and Mr Cyril Desouza, Asst. Director - Trade Promotion, World Trade Centre, Goa

To learn more about WTC Goa, please click on the source link below.