Dangerous slumber
India, like most other Asian countries, seems to be blissfully ignorant of the environmental hazards posed by discarded cars. At present, the problem is obscure since the average lifetime of a vehicle in India is much higher than that in Europe. However, the situation may soon change. In September 2001, R Seshasayee, chairperson of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), declared that the organisation is preparing a proposal on national policy for retirement of vehicles on behalf of the Union ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises. If the policy is implemented, a huge number of vehicles may have to be scrapped.
What will happen to these discarded vehicles in absence of any guideline on recycling and safe disposal? Neither the government nor the auto industry has taken any initiative to set recycling standards.
"It will be futile to introduce recycling policies. It is too premature an action, as we do not have proper inspection and monitoring policies for in-use vehicles,' said Sugato Sen, assistant director of SIAM. Clearly, SIAM is more interested to put the onus on the user than to take up the recycling responsibility along the lines of the European Union directive. Without a clear policy on how to deal with discarded vehicles and fixing responsibility on