No Bar to import mercury: Govt

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) The Government today told the Rajya Sabha that it was not considering banning import of mercury even though it was aware that the WHO and global environmental agencies had established the neuro-toxic effect of the metal which hampers nerve conditions and causes renal failure.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Environment and Forest Namo Narain Meena said, ''According to the Ministry of Commerce, mercury is freely importable and no proposal for changing the import policy was under consideration.'' He, however, said a decreasing trend had been observed in the import of the metal since 2003-04.

The questioner had asked whether the Government would consider to put in place a regulatory mechanism for phasing out the use of Mercury of which India was the largest importer in the world.

Replying to another part of the question, he said no conclusive date on mercury content in ''parad shivling'' were available.

The Member had asked whether, even 'parad shivlings'', traded and installed at homes, had 30 per cent mercury content by weight.

UNI NAZ AK KP1450