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Odisha lags in proper disposal of e-waste

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By Chinmaya Dehuri

Bhubaneswar: Even as Odisha produces about 7,000-8,000 tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) annually, the producers are yet to apply proper methods to dismantle and recycle this, officials say.

As a result, Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has issued notice to 43 producers including Intex, LG, Samsung, Acer, Vodafone, Sharp India, Carrier Media, Sukam Power, HP, Hitachi, Blue Star, Micromax and Xolo to get their act together.

It has asked the organisations what steps they have taken for setting up of collection centres in Odisha for collection of end-of-life equipment.

According to the provisions of the E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, the producers have to collect e-waste generated from the end-of-life equipment in line with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and to ensure it is channelised to registered dismantler or recycler.

“Around 13 producers have responded to the notice of the pollution control board while we are expecting others to respond. They have to ensure recycling of the products. Otherwise it would affect the environment,” senior Scientist of OSPCB D.K. Behera told.

He said while the pollution watchdog has authorised 13 e-waste collection centres in the state, there are no registered functional recyclers.

While 10 collection centres are in Bhubaneswar, one each is in Cuttack, Sambalpur and Berhampur. Besides, there are three recycling companies that have set up their units outside the state, he added.

However, the state has no authorised recycling unit except a dismantling unit-cum collection centre set up by Sani Clean Pvt ltd in Khurdha, said Behera.

The OSPCB has also asked 851 institutions, including banks (31), engineering colleges (102), hospitals (127), hotels (75), industries (470) software companies (15), telecom (8) and universities (10) for details about the manner of their e-waste disposal in the state.

Environmentalists have raised concern over the dumping of e-waste into rivers and drains that may contaminate the soil and water with heavy metals and other impurities.

“It is the responsibility of the electronic equipment producers to collect the e-waste from people or the users. They should set up regional recycling units in the state itself and the government should strictly implement the guidelines notified by the centre,” Ranjan Panda, convener of NGO Water Initiative Odisha, told IANS.

Even the drinking water at the locations, where the e-wastes are dumped, contains a high amount of toxic metals, he stated.

Prithviraj Sahu, a software expert, said the extended producer’s responsibility (EPR) specified in the E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, needs strict enforcement.

Stressing on making EPR mandatory, he said EPR is an environment protection strategy that makes the producer responsible for the entire lifecycle of the product, especially for taking back, recycling and finally disposing off the product.

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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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