The Hindu Business Line : `Grey areas in dangerous goods rules'

A NUMBER of changes have been incorporated in the 46th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations — a move bound to create confusion in the market place, according to Mr B. Govindarajan, Chief Instructor, Air India Staff Training College, Mumbai, and Manager, Compliance Audit.

Mr Govindarajan was speaking at a seminar on Dangerous Goods Regulations organised by the Air Cargo Club of Madras and the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI), Southern Region.

He said according to the new rule, Customs or other authorities opening packages of dangerous goods have a responsibility to ensure that the package is restored to its original condition before the package is put back into transport. The question, which then arises, is who should take on the responsibility of repacking. This is a grey area which IATA (International Air Transport Association) will have to clarify, he said.

The classification of infectious and biological products has been completely revised. The two categories are those that affect human beings and animals, and the one that affects animals. Mr Govindarajan said there is likely to be an increase in the transportation of biological specimens to India. Medical associations overseas are studying the possibilities of having the medical tests done in India, he said.

Mr K.P. Maggon, Deputy Director, Information and Regulation, Director General of Civil Aviation, said the DGCA has given 40 airlines "blanket" permission to carry dangerous goods. Radioactive material (which is used for medical purposes) is now covered under the blanket permission, which is valid for a year.

Mr Maggon said the Indian Government is in talks with the airline operators to ratify the Montreal Convention. Once this is ratified the provisions governing multi modal transport in the Montreal Convention will come into effect.

Speaking at the seminar, Ms B.J. Manohar, Deputy Commercial Director, Training, Air India, said last year when passenger traffic was struggling to come to the pre-2001 levels, cargo grew by 6 per cent. The growth of air cargo in the Asia-Pacific region was about 8 per cent.

She said the future belongs to airlines that have dedicated freighters to uplift cargo. However, security and safety were two factors on which there could be no compromise, Ms Manohar said.

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`Grey areas in dangerous goods rules'