Defence ministry puts restrictions on import of 107 items under staggered timeline
New Delhi, Mar 24: The Defence Ministry on Thursday announced a fresh list of 107 sub-systems and components that will not be allowed to import under a staggered timeline of six years beginning December with a primary aim to promote indigenisation.
The list comprises components required in the production of helicopters, submarines, warships, tanks, missiles, radars and communication systems many of which are currently procured from Russia.
Last December, the defence ministry released a list of 2851 sub-systems and components which will come under import embargo under a specific timeline.
Some of the components and sub-systems identified for import embargo in the fresh list are used for construction of indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), electronic warfare system, Astra missile, T-90 tanks and infantry combat vehicles.
The list released by the Defence Ministry comprised 22 items that will be taken up for indigenisation by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) while Bharat Electronics Ltd will indigenise 21 sub-systems.
The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders will take up indigenisation of six components and subsystems used for construction of ships and submarines, Bharat Dynamics Ltd has been entrusted with indigenisation of four items for Astra missiles, while BEML Ltd got 12.
Other defence public sector undertakings (DPSU) being involved in the process are Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Goa Shipyard Ltd, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd and Munitions India Limited (MIL).
"In continuous pursuit of self-reliance in defence manufacturing and to minimise imports by DPSUs under 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', Ministry of Defence has approved another list of 107 strategically important Line replacement Units (LRUs)/sub-systems with a timeline beyond which there will be an embargo on their import," the ministry said.
It said the identified items will be indigenised and will only be procured from Indian industry after the timelines indicated against each of them in the list.
The ministry said the indigenisation of these items will be taken up by the DPSUs under the 'Make' category.
The 'Make' category aims to achieve self-reliance by involving greater participation of the Indian industry.
The DPSUs will offer these identified LRUs/Sub-systems for industry-led design and development.
"This will be a great opportunity for the Indian industry to get integrated in the supply chains of manufacturing major defence platforms, the defence ministry said in a statement.
It said the indigenous development of these LRUs/Sub-systems projects will bolster the economy and reduce the import dependence of DPSUs. "In addition, it will help harness the design capabilities of the domestic defence industry and position India as a design leader in these technologies," the ministry said.
"This list is in continuation to the positive indigenisation list of 2,851 sub-systems/assemblies/sub-assemblies/components which had been earlier notified by Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence on December 27, 2021," it said.
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MP: 40 years after Bhopal gas disaster, toxic waste leaves Union Carbide factory for disposal
Bhopal, Jan 1: Forty years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, the shifting of some 377 tons of hazardous waste began from the defunct Union Carbide factory on Wednesday night for its disposal, an official said.
The toxic waste is being shifted in 12 sealed container trucks to the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district, 250 km away from Bhopal.
"12 container trucks carrying the waste set off on a non-stop journey around 9 pm. A green corridor has been created for the vehicles which are expected to reach Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district in seven hours," said Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department Director Swatantra Kumar Singh.
He said around 100 people worked in 30-minute shifts since Sunday to pack and load the waste in trucks.
"They underwent health check-ups and were given rest every 30 minutes," he added.
Highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, killing at least 5,479 people and leaving thousands with serious and long-lasting health issues. It is considered to be among the worst industrial disasters in the world.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 3 rebuked authorities for not clearing the Union Carbide site in Bhopal despite directions from even the Supreme Court and set a four-week deadline to shift the waste, observing that even 40 years after the gas tragedy, authorities were in a "state of inertia".
The high court bench had warned the government of contempt proceedings if its directive was not followed.
"If everything is found to be fine, the waste will be incinerated within three months. Otherwise, it might take up to nine months," Singh told PTI on Wednesday morning.
Initially, some of the waste will be burnt at the waste disposal unit in Pithampur and the residue (ash) will be examined to find whether any harmful elements are left, Singh said.
The smoke from the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters so that the surrounding air is not polluted, he added.
Once it is confirmed that no traces of toxic elements are left, the ash will be covered by a two-layer membrane and buried to ensure it does not come in contact with soil and water in any way.
A team of experts under the supervision of officials of the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board will carry out the process, Singh said.
Some local activists have claimed that 10 tons of Union Carbide waste was incinerated on a trial basis in Pithampur in 2015, after which the soil, underground water and water sources in surrounding villages became polluted.
But Singh rejected the claim, stating that the decision to dispose of the waste at Pithampur was taken only after the report of the 2015 test and all the objections were examined.
There would be no reason to worry, he said.
A large number of people had on Sunday taken out a protest march in Pithampur to oppose the disposal of Union Carbide waste in the city which has a population of about 1.75 lakh.
12 trucks carrying 337 tonnes of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, stored for 40 years, left at 9:05 p.m. for Pithampur near Indore. The waste is expected to arrive early on January 2nd, following a 250-km green corridor with heavy security.
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