Vaishali/Patna/New Delhi June 20, 2012: Medha Patkar of National Alliance
of Peoples⠍ovements (NAPM) and Dr Barry Castleman, a world renowned
public health expert from California, USA have written to the Government of
Bihar supporting the struggle of villagers of VaishaliⳠChaksultan Rampur
Rajdhari near Panapur in Kanhauli Dhanraj Panchayat of Goraul block against
the proposed white asbestos plant of Kolkata based Utkal Asbestos Limited
(UAL) company. They have demanded permanent closure of asbestos factories
in Bihar. Both Dr CastlemanⳠand NAPMⳠletter are *attached*.
Dr Barry Castleman wrote to Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Bihar saying, び
you have learned by now, over 50 countries have banned the use ofall forms
of asbestos because of unacceptable dangers to public health. Public
reaction to the rampant growth of asbestos use in India has taken the form
of *Mahadharnas *against the construction of new asbestos product
factories. Opposition to asbestos use has closed down the asbestos mines in
Canada and is on the verge of doing the same in Brazil. This will leave as
the major asbestos mining countries only Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.
Most of the world has followed the urgings of the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the example of the World Bank to stop using asbestos in new
construction. Use of asbestos in building homes and workplaces now leaves a
legacy of lethal dangers for workers and building occupants for the rest of
the century.䠔he pictures of Mahadharna are *attached*.
Medha Patkar wrote to Navin Kumar, Chief Secretary, ばart from the grave
health impacts of white asbestos, there are a number of serious violations
by the Utkal Asbestos Limited plant that must be taken into account. It has
been falsely shown in its Environment Impact Assessment maps, that barren
land has been acquired, when in reality, it is agricultural land that has
been used to set up the plant. They have also conveniently left out of
their maps, the presence of numerous villages and schools in the area, in
order to get clearance! There was no public hearing with the villagers of
the area, as is mandatory before the environmental clearance is given. The
Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangarsh Committee [KBJBJC] has been
organizing locally against the asbestos plant, highlighting the adverse
health impacts of the same.伢r>
She further wrote, ㉴ is important that the government of Bihar takes note
of international as well as national resolutions passed against the use of
asbestos and implement it effectively at the state level as well. Having
said that, I acknowledge that the DM , Mr Jitendra Srivastav has taken
prompt action in stopping work at the factory until further orders and has
asked that a 15 member committee from amongst the villagers to engage with
the administration. The fabricated charges against the peaceful protestors
must be condemned and dropped immediately and action be taken against the
factory owners and the administrative officials who were responsible for
framing false charges against the villagers. I hope you will look into this
matter at the earliest and take necessary action in order to ensure that
the plant does not violate the rights of local villagers any further, and
that social justice accrues.伢r>
Dr Castleman wrote, ㉠am writing as a public health worker who has worked
as a consultant on asbestos to the WHO and the World Bank, in addition to
working with public health advocates in India, in hopes that you will side
with the protesting villagers who do not want new factories producing
asbestos products built in Bihar. This is enormously important in
protecting public health and can serve as an example for the rest of India
in reducing the impact of a public health disaster in coming decades.伢r>
Both the letters of Medha Patkar and Dr Barry Castleman were translated in
Hindi and discussed in Panapur, Vaishali on June 18 at a meeting of the
villagers and members of KBJBJC.
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) which works on impact of hazardous industries on
human health health and environment is supporting the struggle of KBJBJC
along with all the left parties in Bihar including Communist Party of
India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (ML)
Liberation, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Forward Bloc, Jan
Abhiyan, Bihar comprising of Janmukti Sangharsh Vahini, Janwadi Mazdoor
Kisan Sabha, Communist Party of India (ML)-SR Bhaiji, Jan Pratirodh Manch,
Janwadi Lok Manch, Communist Party of India (ML)-New Democracy, Sarwahara
Jan Morcha, MCPI (U) and Communist Party of India (ML). These parties have
issued joint statements demanding closure of the asbestos factory and
dismissal of fake cases agaisnt the villagers. TWA has issued an appeal to
national and international leaders and experts requesting them to ask Bihar
Govt to take 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.
TWA appeals to all the other opposition parties in the State like Rashtriya
Janta Dal (RJD), Lok Jansakti Party, Indian National Congress and
Bihar Navnirman Manch to support the movement of the villagers of
Vaishali and ensure that hazardous asbestos based plants are not
allowed in Bihar. It will enhance StateⳠprestige and show their
sensitivity towards grave issues of public
health.
TWA feels that the continued silence of Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Member
of Parliament from Vaishali when his villagers protest against a hazardous
plant is deafening and puzzling. Dr Singh, a former Union Rural Development
Minister was resoundingly silent even during the villagers⠳truggle
against a similar asbestos plant in Muzaffarpur despite the fact that his
partyman Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Leader of Opposition had raised the issue
in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.
In the meanwhile, Rio+ 20 has come out with its final outcome document in
Brazil. Its relevant part reads: 㗥 call for the effective implementation
and strengthening of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) as part of a robust, coherent, effective and efficient
system for the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle
including to respond to emerging challenges.䠔WA contends that Bihar
Government does not have any strategic approach to chemicals management
throughout their life cycle. The way State Investment Promotion Board has
allowed hazardous factories like asbestos based plants demonstrates that
despite lack of capacity to deal with even the existing asbestos laden
buildings and end-of-life asbestos products is starkly myopic and is an
invitation for public health disaster.
of Peoples⠍ovements (NAPM) and Dr Barry Castleman, a world renowned
public health expert from California, USA have written to the Government of
Bihar supporting the struggle of villagers of VaishaliⳠChaksultan Rampur
Rajdhari near Panapur in Kanhauli Dhanraj Panchayat of Goraul block against
the proposed white asbestos plant of Kolkata based Utkal Asbestos Limited
(UAL) company. They have demanded permanent closure of asbestos factories
in Bihar. Both Dr CastlemanⳠand NAPMⳠletter are *attached*.
Dr Barry Castleman wrote to Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister, Bihar saying, び
you have learned by now, over 50 countries have banned the use ofall forms
of asbestos because of unacceptable dangers to public health. Public
reaction to the rampant growth of asbestos use in India has taken the form
of *Mahadharnas *against the construction of new asbestos product
factories. Opposition to asbestos use has closed down the asbestos mines in
Canada and is on the verge of doing the same in Brazil. This will leave as
the major asbestos mining countries only Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.
Most of the world has followed the urgings of the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the example of the World Bank to stop using asbestos in new
construction. Use of asbestos in building homes and workplaces now leaves a
legacy of lethal dangers for workers and building occupants for the rest of
the century.䠔he pictures of Mahadharna are *attached*.
Medha Patkar wrote to Navin Kumar, Chief Secretary, ばart from the grave
health impacts of white asbestos, there are a number of serious violations
by the Utkal Asbestos Limited plant that must be taken into account. It has
been falsely shown in its Environment Impact Assessment maps, that barren
land has been acquired, when in reality, it is agricultural land that has
been used to set up the plant. They have also conveniently left out of
their maps, the presence of numerous villages and schools in the area, in
order to get clearance! There was no public hearing with the villagers of
the area, as is mandatory before the environmental clearance is given. The
Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jan Sangarsh Committee [KBJBJC] has been
organizing locally against the asbestos plant, highlighting the adverse
health impacts of the same.伢r>
She further wrote, ㉴ is important that the government of Bihar takes note
of international as well as national resolutions passed against the use of
asbestos and implement it effectively at the state level as well. Having
said that, I acknowledge that the DM , Mr Jitendra Srivastav has taken
prompt action in stopping work at the factory until further orders and has
asked that a 15 member committee from amongst the villagers to engage with
the administration. The fabricated charges against the peaceful protestors
must be condemned and dropped immediately and action be taken against the
factory owners and the administrative officials who were responsible for
framing false charges against the villagers. I hope you will look into this
matter at the earliest and take necessary action in order to ensure that
the plant does not violate the rights of local villagers any further, and
that social justice accrues.伢r>
Dr Castleman wrote, ㉠am writing as a public health worker who has worked
as a consultant on asbestos to the WHO and the World Bank, in addition to
working with public health advocates in India, in hopes that you will side
with the protesting villagers who do not want new factories producing
asbestos products built in Bihar. This is enormously important in
protecting public health and can serve as an example for the rest of India
in reducing the impact of a public health disaster in coming decades.伢r>
Both the letters of Medha Patkar and Dr Barry Castleman were translated in
Hindi and discussed in Panapur, Vaishali on June 18 at a meeting of the
villagers and members of KBJBJC.
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) which works on impact of hazardous industries on
human health health and environment is supporting the struggle of KBJBJC
along with all the left parties in Bihar including Communist Party of
India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (ML)
Liberation, Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Forward Bloc, Jan
Abhiyan, Bihar comprising of Janmukti Sangharsh Vahini, Janwadi Mazdoor
Kisan Sabha, Communist Party of India (ML)-SR Bhaiji, Jan Pratirodh Manch,
Janwadi Lok Manch, Communist Party of India (ML)-New Democracy, Sarwahara
Jan Morcha, MCPI (U) and Communist Party of India (ML). These parties have
issued joint statements demanding closure of the asbestos factory and
dismissal of fake cases agaisnt the villagers. TWA has issued an appeal to
national and international leaders and experts requesting them to ask Bihar
Govt to take 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.
TWA appeals to all the other opposition parties in the State like Rashtriya
Janta Dal (RJD), Lok Jansakti Party, Indian National Congress and
Bihar Navnirman Manch to support the movement of the villagers of
Vaishali and ensure that hazardous asbestos based plants are not
allowed in Bihar. It will enhance StateⳠprestige and show their
sensitivity towards grave issues of public
health.
TWA feels that the continued silence of Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Member
of Parliament from Vaishali when his villagers protest against a hazardous
plant is deafening and puzzling. Dr Singh, a former Union Rural Development
Minister was resoundingly silent even during the villagers⠳truggle
against a similar asbestos plant in Muzaffarpur despite the fact that his
partyman Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Leader of Opposition had raised the issue
in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.
In the meanwhile, Rio+ 20 has come out with its final outcome document in
Brazil. Its relevant part reads: 㗥 call for the effective implementation
and strengthening of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management (SAICM) as part of a robust, coherent, effective and efficient
system for the sound management of chemicals throughout their life cycle
including to respond to emerging challenges.䠔WA contends that Bihar
Government does not have any strategic approach to chemicals management
throughout their life cycle. The way State Investment Promotion Board has
allowed hazardous factories like asbestos based plants demonstrates that
despite lack of capacity to deal with even the existing asbestos laden
buildings and end-of-life asbestos products is starkly myopic and is an
invitation for public health disaster.
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