Telecom operators in a huddle to hang up on green ministry's e-waste rules

According to COAI, only the DoT has the expertise to determine the 'end of life cycle' of telecom equipment

Telecom operators are taking a tough stand on a notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on the implementation of e-waste rules for the industry, fearing that they may affect mobile services, even as companies are investing in the 5G rollout. These rules came into effect on April 1.
 

The industry body, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), plans to make a presentation before the MoEFCC, arguing that for telecom equipment, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the nodal department, should be involved in determining the ‘end of life cycle’ of products — the number