After March 31, 2017, only designated Indian ports equipped with radiation detection equipment will be permitted to handle HMS (unshredded) steel scrap, an official notification issued by India’s Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has stated.
The notification said that any port which failed to install radiation detection equipment will be barred from handling scrap after the deadline.
The ports which have been directed to install the equipment are those at Chennai, Cochin, Ennore, Jawarhlal Nehru Port Trust Mumbai, Kandla, Mormugao, Mumbai, New Mangalore, Paradip, Tuticorin, Visakhapatnam, Pipavav, Mundra and Kolkata
At the same time, Inland Container Depots will have to certify that HMS scrap received or dispatched from these centers has been shipped into the country only through designated ports with radiation detection equipment.
As an additional restriction to prevent entry of contaminated metal scrap, all importers will have to contract documents with exporting agencies overseas along with certification that the consignment has been screened for radiation and that radiation is within permissible levels, the notification stated.