Ban-Asbestos-India: Group protests asbestos industry

Monday, April 25, 2011

Group protests asbestos industry

Note: Apropos news report "Group protests asbestos industry", on behalf of Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI), I wish to submit that the ongoing Ban Asbestos Struggle in Sarnia, Ontario and Bhojpur, Bihar in India are related. BANI has learnt that every year 500 people are dying of asbestos related diseases in Ontario. It has been estimated that the current rate of deaths in India is 100 times the rate of deaths in Ontario.

BANI expresses its solidarity with Sarnia's Hometown Activist Movement Emerging (SHAME) and its stand against the Conservative government continued support for asbestos exports to India. BANI strongly disapproves of the dubious stand of the Liberal Party and Conservative Party which support a killer asbestos industry which is involved in gross human rights violations of the present and future generations.

I wish to draw your attention towards three proposed asbestos plants in Bhojpur, Bihar, India. In Bhojpur's Bihiya, there is a proposal to set up a 120,000 MT/Annum capacity of Asbestos Cement Sheet Plant and 2 00000 MT/Annum capacity of Asbestos Grinding Plant. The total project area is 20 acres and land is allotted by the state government on lease for 90 years. On 10th May, 2010, the project was discussed by the Experts Appraisal Committee (EAC), Industry. In the minutes of the EAC, there explicit reference to "Health Management Plan for Mesothalimoa, Lung cancer and Asbestosis related problems in asbestos industries". The plant being established by Tamil Nadu based Ramco Industries Ltd. Bihar'S State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) cleared its establishment on 23rd November, 2009 with a total investment of Rs 60.20 crore (in Indian currency Rs 10 lakh=1 million, Rs 100 lakh=Rs 1 crore).

In Bhojpur's Giddha village, Tamil Nadu based Nibhi Industries Pvt. Ltd is establishing the 100000 MT Capacity Asbestos Fiber Cement Corrugated Sheet, Flat Sheet and Accessories and Light Weight Fly Ash Block Plant. This has been approved in SIPB meeting on 19th October, 2009 with a total investment for of Rs 31 crore.
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) reports reveals that they will procure asbestos from Canada. This is happening because of an incestous relationship between ruling parties in Bihar, India, Quebec, Canada and the asbestos producers.

Gopal Krishna
Convener
Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI)
Asbestos Mukti Andolan (Asbestos Free Movement), Bhojpur, Bihar
Mb: 09818089660, 07739308480
E-mail:krishna2777@gmail.com
Blog:banasbestosindia.blogspot.com

Group protests asbestos industry

Members of S.H.A.M.E. (Sarnia's Hometown Activist Movement Emerging) held a demonstration Saturday at the former Holmes Foundry site in Sarnia.

"Asbestos has had a huge impact on workers and families here," said organizer Zak Nicholls, joined by several participants who held signs slamming both the Liberal and Conservative governments.

"Both parties support the asbestos industry," he said, pointing to a lavish Liberal fundraiser hosted recently by a businessman leading the charge to reopen one of Canada's last-remaining asbestos mines.

Meanwhile, the Conservative government continues to support exports to India, Indonesia and other Third World countries.

Locally, all five federal election candidates have denounced asbestos exports, but Nicholls said he finds it frustrating to see campaign signs for both Liberal Tim Fugard and Conservative Pat Davidson posted near the site, at the corner of Exmouth and Christina Streets.

"We know locally where the candidates stand, and I believe them," he said. "But this is about what their parties are doing."

Although exact numbers aren't available, more than 1,000 Sarnia-area workers and family members were diagnosed with asbestos-related cancer and respiratory disease at a local workers clinic in just one decade — many cases linked to the former Holmes Foundry plant.

Sarnia-Lambton has the highest asbestos-related death rate in Ontario.

tjeffrey@theobserver.ca

By TARA JEFFREY, Sarnia Observer, April 24, 2011
http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3092643

No comments:

Post a Comment

Ban on Asbestos is a Must

A study in a peer-reviewed journal had earlier estimated that there could be more than 6,000 workers affected by asbestosis (an untreatable lung ailment) and another 600 suffering at the minimum from asbestosis-related lung cancer in India at present. Occupational cancer from asbestos, the disease caused by emissions at the work place, poses an increasingly serious health problem. But the subject has attracted relatively little attention from industry, labour, public health bodies or the medical profession. Asbestos is one of the single largest sources of occupational cancer. Indian polticians are acting as if they are bonded workers of asbestos industry.

World Trade Center, New York collapsed Thousands of tons of asbestos became airborne.

Back in 1981, there was research coming out that Asbestos was cancer causing and this ad was in rebuttal to that research touting the benefits of using Asbestos. The text over the Twin Towers states, "When the Fire Alarm Went Off, It Took Two Hours to Evacuate New York's World Trade Center." I do not need to remind anyone of the images of September 11th and this ad. The copy below the ad goes on to mention all of the places that Asbestos was used in the World Trade Center. I can not not think of all of the innocent victims in the area that were exposed to all of the dust, smoke and inherent asbestos that was in the air after the buildings collapsed. The cloud of smoke went across the entire city and potentially exposed hundreds of thousands of individuals to asbestos. Hopefully there can be a cure or treatment for Mesothelioma before all of these potential victims are diagnosed.

Apex Court allocates meagre compensation for asbetsos victims

In 1995, the Supreme Court of India fixed Rs 1 lakh compensation amount and identified National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) as the final authority to certify asbestosis cases. Compensations are given through the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Two workers in Ahmedabad Electricity Company diagnosed as having asbestosis by NIOH have been compensated by Gujarat High Court. Twenty-five workers in asbestos jointing and packing industry at Mumbai were compensated by the Special medical board of ESIC. The court ruled that the industrial units must maintain a health record of every worker up to a minimum period of 40 years; insure workers under the Employees State Insurance Act or Workmen’s Compensation Act and give health coverage to every worker.

Asbestos Victims

Every day estimated 30 deaths in India is under way due to the ongoing trade and use of white asbestos. 'Asbestos' in Greek means 'indestructible'. Greeks called asbestos the 'magic mineral'. Asbestos is a generic term, referring usually to six kinds of naturally occuring mineral fibres. Of these six, three are used more commonly. Chrysotile is the most common, accounts for almost 90 per cent of the asbestos used in the industry, but it is not unusual to encounter Amosite or Crocidolite as well. Though Crocidolite asbestos is banned in India, it can still be found in old insulation material, old ships that come from other countries for wrecking in India. All types of asbestos tend to break into very tiny fibre, almost microscopic. In fact, some of them may be up to 700 times smaller than human hair. Because of their small size, once released into the air, they may stay suspended in the air for hours or even days. Asbestos fibres are virtually indestructible. They are resistant to chemicals and heat, and are very stable in the environment. They do not evaporate into air or dissolve in water, and they do not break down over time. Because of its high durability and with tensile strength asbestos has been widely used inconstruction and insulation materials - it has been used in over 3,000 different products. Where do we use it? In India, asbestos is used in manufacture of pressure and non pressure pipes used for water supply, sewage, irrigation and drainage system in urban and rural areas, asbestos textiles, laminated products, tape, gland packing, packing ropes, brake lining and jointing used in core sector industries such as automobile, heavy equipment, petro-chemicals, nuclear power plants, fertilizers, thermal power plants, transportation, defence.

Make India Asbestos Free

Ban-Asbestos-India

Monday, April 25, 2011

Group protests asbestos industry

No comments:

Blog Archive

Footprints

Moments

Health Matters

Ban on Asbestos is a Must