Make India Asbestos Free

Make India Asbestos Free
For Asbestos Free India

Journal of Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI). Asbestos Free India campaign of BANI is inspired by trade union movement and right to health campaign. BANI has been working since 2000. It works with peoples movements, doctors, researchers and activists besides trade unions, human rights, environmental, consumer and public health groups. BANI demands criminal liability for companies and medico-legal remedy for victims.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Hero Honda: India's first asbestos free two-wheeler


Hero Honda Motors Ltd makes half the two-wheelers in the country. Hero Honda is the World's No.1 two-wheeler manufacturing company having the trust of more than 5 million customers. The company is a joint venture of Hero Cycles of India and Honda Motor of Japan.



Pawan Munjal, managing director of Hero Honda says, .."There’s no legislation but 2 or 3 years ago, we’ve gone out and taken out all asbestos from our motorcycles and scooters. There’s no asbestos in our brake lining and clutch lining. While we’ve done that and replaced it with some other stuff – let’s say the brake, we’ve had to increase the size of the brake to get the same breaking strength – our cost has gone up. Same way with the clutch. So while you’re doing everything else, you’re also having to increase your costs because of other stuff. Safety, environment. Everyday there are new safety legislations coming in. Which is fine. We’re very much for all of these things. As I said, nobody asked us to do this asbestos thing, we did it ourselves. Because we care. Because we believe that we have this moral responsibility to the society, to the customer."

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