RS nod to bill to amend chemical weapons act

Replying to the debate on the Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill, 2010, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Srikant Kumar Jena said it is part of an international obligation.

He said recommendations of the Standing Committee has been incorporated in the bill, which was introduced in the House in April 2010 and referred to the Standing Committee.

The Convention of Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their destruction was signed by India at Paris in 1993.

"No person shall transfer to, or receive from, a State which is not a party to the Convention, any toxic chemical...," the Bill said.

The Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2002 allows the Centre to appoint officers of the National Authority to be enforcement officers.

The amendment seeks to widen its scope and confer upon the Central Government the power also to appoint "any of its officers" as enforcement officer.

It also proposes exemption and threshold for registration of chemicals as may be prescribed by the government.

Earlier, participating in the debate on the Bill, Bhupender Yadav (BJP) highlighted the danger country faces from "non-state actors" and stressed on the need for good laboratories to test chemicals.

Narendra Budania (Cong) said manufacturing of chemicals should be monitored, while P Rajeeve (CPI-M) wanted to know the steps taken by other signatory countries towards their commitments.

D Bandyopadhyay (Trinamool) said exemptions proposed in the Bill could lead to leakage of dangerous chemicals to terrorists.

Baishnab Parida (BJD), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), M Rama Jois and Najma A Heptulla (both BJP) also spoke. PTI NKD SMI