Ozone: Not enough, technical, financial aid coming, says India

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) India today expressed disappointment that devloping countries were not getting adequate financial and technical support for phasing out the use of ozone depleting substances like Chloroflourocarbons(CFCs) in the manufacture of metered dose inhalers.

Speaking at the preparatory segment of the 18th meeting of Parties to Montreal Protocol, environment Minister A Raja said that some developing countries like India face difficulties in manufacturing of these inhalers which use CFCs, as till date there was no economically viable and adaptable technology and financial support for phasing out their use.

Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are pressurised, hand-held devices using propellants to deliver doses of medication to the lungs of a patient. These delivery devices are critically important to public health.

MDI manufacturers are currently engaged in an extensive programme to transition out of CFC MDIs.

The Minister urged the developed nations to pay attention to the handicaps of the developing countries and give due consideration to the health of their people while dealing with the CFC MDI issue.

He also called upon the member-countries to take measures for safe disposal of unused Ozone Depleting Substances(ODS).

The Montreal Protocol is one of the first international environmental agreements which include trade sanction to achieve the goals of the treaty, Mr Raja pointed out.

He said the Protocol together with control measures has been mandated to undertake research development, public awarness and exchange information.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the protection of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.

The treaty came into force on January 1, 1999. Since then, it has undergone five revisions, last being done in 1999 at Beijing.

The treaty is structured around several groups of Halogenated hydrocarbons that have been shown to play a role in ozone depletion.

The agenda for the preparatory segment include organizational matters, membership of protocol bodies for 2007 and financial reports and budgets for trust funds for the Vienna Convention for the protection of the Ozone layer.

It also includes status of ratification after Vienna Convention of issues regarding technology and economic assessment panel, activities relating to clarifying the stories of discrepancies between emissions determination from bottom of methods and atmospheric measurement and treatment of stock-piled ozone depleting substance relating to compliance besides others.

The High Level Segment, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on November 2, will elect officers for the 18th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.

The Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol will make a presentation on its working, the multilateral funds secretariat and the funds implementation agencies.

All the heads of the delegation will also make a statement.

Report of the co-chairs of the Preparatory Segment and consideration of the proceedings recommended for adoption by the 18th Meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol will also be discussed.

India became party to the Vienna Convention in 1991 and the Montreal Protocol in 1992.

India produces CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113 Halon-1211, Halon-1301, Carbon Tetra Chloride (CTC) Methyl Chloroform and Methyl bromide.

The ODSs are used in refrigeration and air conditioning, fire fighting, electronics, foams and aerosol industries. India prepared its programme for phase out of ODSs in 1993 and since then it has taken a series of fiscal and regulatory measures.

As many as 189 nations have become party to the Montreal Protocol.

UNI NAZ VD VV1516