Regulate Import Of Used Equipment: ICEMA

ICEMA to submit report on the new Test and Certification Centre by March next The Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (ICEMA) has urged the Centre to regulate the import of second-hand equipment to protect the domestic sector.

Anand Sundaresan Words

Talking to newsmen, ICEMA President Anand Sundaresan said on Wednesday that they expected Chinese firms to dump their used construction equipment into India, following the recent devaluation of Chinese yuan.

“We are not seeking a total ban on import of construction equipment. Some of the mining equipment is very costly. While the multi-national firms import used ones and resell it after reconditioning it, some of the traders sell it just like that. This will hurt our sector. We are urging the Centre to regulate imports either through a single port or through established manufacturers.”

Mentioning that Ministry of Heavy Industries had in-principle agreed to come out with a notification soon in this regard, he said “If we don’t have Construction Equipment, Mining and Material Handling (CMM) Act, any vehicle can be imported. Unfortunately, some of the off-highway vehicles used in the country are not regulated. We want to be proactive before the Centre steps in and comes out with strict rules. We will be submitting our proposal by December 2015.”

“After the 2009-10 economic slow down, the Indian economy bounced back in 2011. At that time, we had carried out a survey that projected 20-21 per cent y-o-y growth. Over the last three years, the growth has remained flat. Last year, the sector clocked a turnover of Rs.18,000 crore. It will be same for 2015. We expect a pick-up in economy in the coming months,” he said.