Inform about steps taken to implement e-waste rules, HC tells govt.

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday asked the State government to inform it about the steps taken to implement the e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules in the State.

The Bench comprising Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas and Justice Gopinath also stressed the need for making the people aware of the collection of e-waste by the Haritha Karma Sena.

When TV Anupama, Special Secretary, LSGD, who appeared online, submitted that e-waste was being collected by the Haritha Karma Sena in as many as 667 local bodies, the court observed the information was new to it.

The court added that people believed that the Haritha Karma Sena was collecting only plastics from the households. The court noted that the information had not percolated down to every household in the local bodies where the Haritha Karma Sena was collecting e-waste.

The Special Secretary also submitted that the government had empaneled an agency for disposing of the e-waste collected by the Haritha Karma Sena from the households. The disposal of electronic waste was a process complicated as it involved separation and dismantling of the parts of outdated electronic gadgets such as TV, mobile phones etc. As a result, only one company had come forward to take up the job of disposal of e-waste.

The court made the observations when a suo motu case relating to waste disposal registered following the Brahmapuram fire came up for hearing.

The court also suggested the government could also launch a campaign for collection of e-waste from the households. There were unused phones and other electronic gadgets accumulated in every households as there were no place to dispose of such waste. The court noted that e-waste was toxic and if thrown away, it would pollute water bodies and soil.

It was submitted that the provisions of the e-waste (Management and Handling) rules make the manufacturers and dealers of electronic equipment and gadgets responsible for collecting e-waste and disposing them after use. It was also the government’s responsibility under the rule to provide recycling and disposal units.