The Centre has declined to ban Indian power and transmission utilities from using high-voltage power cables containing toxic chemical — lead — while laying the underground transmission lines.
The CII had, in December last year, called for the Power Ministry’s intervention as the practice led to environmental degradation and caused health problems.
In its response to the CII representation, the Ministry has, however, noted that “lead-sheathed power cables in underground application is traditionally a widely used product which is well proved and time-tested”. While “switching to greener alternatives is an obvious choice to protect the environment and address the health concerns”, power cable manufacturers need to be “encouraged to innovate more and prove that the alternatives are as rugged and reliable as lead-sheathed cables,” the letter suggested.
