The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed a bill to amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, which prohibits transfer of specified toxic chemicals from and to a country which is not party to the measure.
Minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Srikant Kumar Jena, while replying to the debate on the Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill, 2010, 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.