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.

Monday, December 20, 2010

BANI Welcomes Medha Patkar's Support for Asbestos Ban

Press Release

BANI Welcomes Medha Patkar's Support for Asbestos Ban

Firing by Private Army of Factory Owner Condemned

Muzaffarpur/Patna/ New Delhi: Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) welcomes the support of National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) to the the demand for ban on asbestos of all kinds. In a letter to Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Medha Patkar, Convenor of NAPM pointed
out that asbestos has been boycotted in Europe. Her letter and the petition of the villagers are attached.

BANI too has written to the Bihar Chief Minister, Bihar State Pollution Control Board and Bihar Human Rights Commission seeking their immediate intervention to stop the proposed asbestos cement plant. The letters are available on BANI's blog.

Medha Patkar has urged the Bihar government to stop the construction of the asbestos cement plant in Chainpur, Muzaffarpur which poses grave risk to the life and health of villagers. She has denounced the police firing by the private army of the owner of the factory on the villagers who were the protesting against the plant which is being built in the residential area and the agricultural fields. Many villagers have been injured in the incident. BANI will come out with a
Fact Finding report shortly.

BANI condemns the firing against the villagers protesting the asbestos cement plant by the private army of the factory owner. Two of the injured are still in the Sadar hospital, Muzaffarpur. Several others have suffered injuries and are getting treated by private hospitals.

The proposed asbestos cement roofing sheet factory in Chainpur, Muzaffarpur. The exposure to killer fibers of asbestos constitute human rights violation of the exposed communities, there is an immediate need to protect the villagers from incurable lung cancer and other diseases.

The villagers are bitterly opposed to the asbestos plant that poses a grave threat to their health. The village already is aware of the hazards from asbestos because three villagers who used to work in a asbestos factory in Jaipur, Rajasthan had died because of asbestos related fatal diseases.

This factory is coming up unmindful of the fact that some 52 countries have banned asbestos. WHO and ILO too have called for its elimination.

For Details: Gopal Krishna, BANI, Mb: 07739308480, 09818089660,
E-mail:krishna2777@gmail.com, Blog: banasbestosindia.blogspot.com

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