INTERNATIONAL OZONE DAY ON SEPTEMBER 16
Sixteenth September
every year is observed globally as `International Ozone Day’.
The national function this year will be held at Mumbai. Shri T.R.
Baalu, Minister of Environment & Forests will preside over
the function. Shri Sushil Shinde, Chief Minister, Maharashtra
will be the Chief Guest.
National Green Corps,
School Children, Industry, State Governments and the general public
will participate in this year’s observance of the Day. A Cycle
Rally joined in by prominent Cine Stars and Cricketers, Industrial
Exhibition, Elocution and Painting Competitions for children will
also be part of the event.
Each year, the Sixteenth
of September is celebrated throughout the world as the International
Ozone Day. On this date in 1987 the Montreal Protocol, on substances
that deplete the Ozone layer, was signed to protect the Ozone
layer in the Stratosphere. The Protocol was the culmination of
decades of research, which established chemicals when released
in the atmosphere could damage the ozone layer. A depleted layer
leaves holes in the atmosphere through which the Ultra Violet
Rays of the Sun reach the earth exposing the mankind to its harmful
effects on the health.
India as a signatory
to the Protocol has been earnestly ensuring compliance of its
obligations under the same. The phase out of Halon has been completed
ahead of schedule. India is a major producer of Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFC) and already the production level has been reduced by nearly
5700 MTs from the base level production of nearly 22500 MTs. Total
reduction required is 50 percent of the base level by January
2005 and complete phasing out by January 2010. The phase out programme
is being implemented with minimum economic costs to the industry.
So far the Multilateral Fund – the Financial Mechanism set up
under the Protocol, has assisted India in the implementation of
its National Phase-out programme with 87 million US dollars since
1999. In addition to this, the Government of India has supported
the programme with fiscal concessions in the form of duty exemptions
for promoting the use of non-ODS technology. As on date duty exemptions
granted aggregate to nearly Rs.93 crore over the last four years.
A significant expression
of our commitment to the most successful Global Environment Agreement
was the ratification of the Copenhagen, Montreal and Beijing Amendments
to the Montreal Protocol. With this, as far as India is concerned,
Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFC) and Methyl Bromide have become
controlled substances. India is a major producer and net exporter
of HCFC. The ratification of the Montreal and Beijing amendments
will help in promoting our HCFC exports from January 2004 onwards
as without the ratification India would have been treated then
as a non-Party with whom trade will be prohibited. Domestic consumption
and production cannot be increased beyond 2015.
The most notable
achievement during the past year has been the approval of the
National Carbon Tetra Chloride non feedstock use phase out plan
for production and consumption sectors at a total cost of 52 million
US dollars by the Multi Lateral Fund in its latest Executive Committee
Meeting held at Montreal in July this year. CTC is an ozone depleting
substance under the Protocol.
