State Government Fails to Submit Report on Asbestos Fiber related diseases to NHRC
Villagers to Hold Mahadharana Against White Asbestos Plant on June 14 in Vaishali
Ban Use & Manufaturing of Silent Killer Fiber Based Products
Patna/New
Delhi June 13, 2012: A statement from National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
has revealed that State government has failed to submit its report on asbestos
related diseases. The statement dated June 5, 2012 is attached. NHRC had issued
the notice to Chief Secretary, Bihar Government on July 6, 2011. Meanwhile,
Union Railway Ministry has started procuring asbestos free products. ༯span>
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) demands immediate steps
to prevent environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos' besides
non-occupational exposures to asbestos by banning use and manufacturing of white
asbestos based products. It will set a healthy precedent for all the other
states, the central government and neighboring countries. If a decision is taken
ahead of Rio+20, United Nations Conference
on Sustainable Development being held during June 20-22, 2012 in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil where a global political document is due to adopted by the Heads
of States to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit, it will
enhance StateⳠprestige among the comity of nations. A program titled "Deadly
Business Asbestos: Are you the next victim?" is planned at PeopleⳠSummit at Rio on June 15, 2012.
A copy
of the notice is attached. NHRCⳠrelease in Hindi is attached as well. The
English version is availble at http://nhrc.nic.in/dispArchive.asp?fno=2334
Underlining the importance of NHRCⳠnotice, villagers of VaishaliⳠChaksultan Ramppur Rajdhari near Panapur in Kanhauli Dhanraj Panchayat of in Goraul block have decided to hold a Mahadharana against the proposed white asbetsos plant of Utkal Asbestos Limited (UAL) company in their village on June 14, 2012. Their pamphlet is attached. Villagers have been proesting against the fake public hearing and faulty environmental clearnce under the banner of Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jansangarsh Committee. They had organised a public meeting in this regard on May 1, 2012 as well wherein local officials were also present.ࠠࠠࠠ ࠠ༯span>
State Government should persuade the central
government which does not favour new asbestos plants in the country in
principle to translate its pious intention into practice. "The Government
of India is considering the ban on use of chrysotile asbestos in India to
protect the workers and the general population against primary and secondary
exposure to Chrysotile form of Asbestos." It has noted that
"Asbestosis is yet another occupational disease of the Lungs which is on
an increase under similar circumstances warranting concerted efforts of all
stake holders to evolve strategies to curb this menace". A concept paper
by Union Ministry of Labour revealed this at the two-day 5th India-EU Joint
Seminar on ㏣cupational Safety and Health䠯n 19-20th September, 2011. (Reference:
http://www.labour.nic.in/lc/Background%20note.pdf).
In
this regard the attached New Delhi Declaration Seeking Elimination of
all forms of Asbestos including White Asbestos from India that was
issued by worldⳠrenowned scientists, doctors and jurists in March 2011
also merit attention.࠼br>
TWA appeals to the Bihar Government to
pay heed to the recommendations of Kerala State Human Rights Commission
(KSHRC) in its order dated January 31, 2009. The recommendations are:
a) The State Government will replace asbestos roofs of all school
buildings under its control with country tiles in a phased manner. b)
The Government will take steps to see that the schools run under the
private management also replace the asbestos roofs with country tiles by
fixing a time frame. c) The Government should see that in future no new
school is allowed to commence its functions with asbestos roofs. These
recommendations are relevant for Bihar as well. It underlines the need
for banning use of asbestos roofs in the State.
In a related development, Bihar State
Human Rights Commission (BSHRC) announced that the white asbestos plant
that was under construction in Chainpur-Bishunpur village, Jakhra Sheikh
Panchyat, Marwan block of Muzaffarpur has been wound up. The relevant
File Note 45/11 Justice S N Jha Chairman, BSHRC is attached.ࠠ࠼br>
Bihar Government should take note of
the Union Environment MinistryⳠ19 page Vision Statement on Environment
and Human Health (Para 4.3.1) on page 12 which reads: ぬternatives to
asbestos may be used to the extent possible and use of asbestos may be
phased out䮠The same is available at moef.nic.in/divisions/cpoll/envhealth/visenvhealth.pdf.
Asbestos producing countries like Canada,
Russia, Kazakhstan, China and Brazil have are dumping their asbestos to
user countries like India. Interestingly, Canada has a no home use
policy. In India, asbestos mining is technically banned. Trade in
asbestos waste (dust and fibers) is banned but the process of banning
trade, manufacturing and use of white asbestos is held because of the
corporate infleunce of the asbetsos companies over ruling parties.
For Details: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch
Alliance (TWA), Mb: 08002263335, 09818089660, E-mail:krishna1715@gmail.com Web:toxicswatch.blogspot.com,
banasbestosindia.blogspot.com
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