Customs orders re-shipment of US waste consignment

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Kochi, Oct 25 (UNI) The Customs Department today ordered immediate re-shipment of three containers of prohibited US medical and e-waste consignment imported by the city-based Kochin Kadalas.

According to a Customs Official here, the decision to send back the consignment was taken after serving a show cause notice to the importer asking why action should not be taken against him and why the consignment should not be send back.

Company Managing Director Jossey Cyriac appeared before the customs authorities and replied to the notice.

A fine of Rs 20,000 was also imposed on the company for importing probibited items.

Earlier, a detailed examination by the Kerala Pollution Control Board revealed that the consigment sent by New York-based Bellsun Corp., contained loads of the waste, weighing almost 60 tonnes, consisted of almost 25 to 40 per cent of municipal garbage, medical waste and computer peripherals.

The discovery of municipal garbage, medical and e-waste in a consignment meant to contain only waste paper had prompted Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramdoss and Kerala Health Minister P K Sreemathy to declare that they would not allow developed nations to use India as a 'dumping ground' for their refuse.

The consignment had landed at Cochin Port earlier this month. A preliminary examination by the Customs had revealed municipal garbage, following which it had asked the PCB to conduct a detailed examination of the material.

UNI

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