Stakeholders agree to phased roll-out of uniform chargers for devices

A broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on the adoption of USB Type - C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a statement.

The industry should overcome inertia in adopting a uniform charging port in the interest of consumer welfare and prevention of avoidable e-waste, Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs said while chairing a meeting of the Central Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Wednesday constituted to examine the issue of uniformity in charging ports of electronic devices.

The meeting was attended by representatives from industry associations such as MAIT, FICCI, CII, educational institutions including IIT Kanpur, IIT (BHU), Varanasi and Central Government ministries including Ministry of Environment Forrest and Climate Change.

Also, the statement said the Department has also decided to form a sub-group to examine the feasibility of uniform charging ports for wearables. The sub-group will include representatives from industry bodies and educational institutions.

"It was also felt that an impact study may be conducted by the MoEFCC to assess and examine the possible impact of uniform charging ports in electronic devices with regard to e-waste," the statement added.

The uniformity in charging ports is a step towards the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-26 which calls for 'mindful and deliberate utilization' by people worldwide instead of 'mindful and wasteful consumption.

The LiFE mission plans to create and nurture a global network of individuals, namely 'Pro-Planet People' (P3), who will have a shared commitment to adopt and promote environmentally friendly lifestyles.

( With inputs from ANI )