Tighter norms for scrap imports

The government today further tightened the norms for import of metal scrap by making it mandatory for cargo containing unshredded metal to have a pre-shipment inspection certificate from an approved certifying agency.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the import policy for scrap and metallic waste, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said the imports of metallic waste and scrap in unshredded and uncompacted form would be permitted from only 14 ports, which will be notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

The 14 ports would include Pipavav and Mundra, besides major ones such as Chennai, Cochin, Ennore, JNPT, Kandla, Mumbai, New Mangalore and Tuticorin.

Nath said the shipping companies would be advised to load cargo in the vessels only with the pre-shipment inspection certificates from 23 certifying agencies, which had already been recognised by the DGFT.

The minister also said that show cause notices had been issued to units which had undertaken imports of such explosive material.

He said the Home Ministry would shortly issue an advisory, specifying a period within which voluntary disclosure of material of combustible nature in the possession of importing units could be made. This would prevent such material from being abandoned at various places causing risk to human life and property.

The minister also dismissed reports of differences between the Commerce and Finance Ministries on the issue of restricting imports of metal scrap. "The decisions that have been taken are unanimous and there is no difference of opinion," he emphasised.

According to DGFT officials, nearly 10,000 containers of metal scrap are in transit. India annually imports between 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of metal scrap of which nearly 92 per cent is in the unshredded form.

The meeting to review the import policy for scrap and metallic waste was attended by representatives of the Department of Steel, Shipping, Home Affairs and the Central Board of Customs and Excise.