Electronic waste is a serious problem and several developing countries are being used as dumping grounds by the West. India should take precautions against such a danger, according to A Appa Rao, the former Vice-Chancellor of JNTU-Kakinada.

He was delivering a lecture on the issue here on Tuesday, the second day of a seminar on the effects of emissions and effluents on environment (EEEE- 2014), organised by Andhra University College of Engineering. He said several East African countries, Bulgaria and China were facing the problem. “The problem has not assumed such serious proportions yet in the country but it could in future, if we are not careful. E-waste gives rise to several health problems; some of the waste is carcinogenic, and it is also a security risk. There are technologies for recycling and safe disposal of the waste, and they should be adopted,” he suggested.

Seeram Ramakrishna, an old student of Andhra University and currently a professor in National University of Singapore, spoke about the emerging and established nano technology techniques for water treatment and cleansing of air. Though some of the methods may be a bit expensive, he said, they offered great scope in these areas. “Electro spinning and electro spraying are versatile techniques to produce a range of nano fibres and particles, and membranes made out of them can be used in water filtration to great effect” he said.

MVR Krishna Swamy, Deputy CEO of South Asia LPG, spoke about the importance of underground storage of hydro-carbons, crude oil and gas in particular. He spoke about the first underground LPG cavern set up here with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes at a cost of ₹333 crores by South Asia LPG, a special purpose vehicle floated by HPCL and Total of France. “The LPG cavern here is the first in the country and a crude cavern is also being set up here. It is a safe way to store hydro-carbons in bulk. There are great logistical advantages and from the security point of view also it is advisable,” he added.

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