India: Expert Committee to Create National Action Plan

In April, the Indian environmental ministry appointed a committee that is to help bring about chemical regulations. The committee consists of 18 experts – government officials, researchers, and representatives of industry. The government has issued an Office Order on the makeup and mandate of the committee. By September, the committee is to prepare a report for the government that:

• Defines the political framework for chemicals regulations
• Develops an appropriate infrastructure that enables the study of chemicals and their effects
• Reworks existing regulations
• Recommends how India can meet its obligations under international treaties (like the Stockholm Convention and the Rotterdam Convention on dealing with hazardous chemicals, crop protection substances, and pesticides).

After the report appears, the next step will be to define responsibilities and a schedule. The World Bank is supporting the entire project.

If you have any questions about the legal framework that applies in India, please contact us at reach@kft.de.