Stop Hazardous Asbestos Plant in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh

To

Chief Secretary
Government of Himachal Pradesh
Shimla

Subject-Stop Hazardous Asbestos Plant in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh

Sir,

This is to draw your immediate attention towards the fact that asbestos related diseases are also incurable despite this Vardhman Roofings Private Ltd is setting up a Asbestos Cement Sheet Plant (200 MT per day) at Trilokpur Road, Village Kheri, Tehsil Nahan, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh.

This project was given Environmental Clearance on May 10, 2011 by the central environment ministry but health being a state subject, your government can act to safeguard the life of present and future generations by stopping it.

It is also noteworthy that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent you a notice dated July 6, 2011 to ascertain the status of diseases caused asbestos fibers in Himachal Pradesh. A copy of the notice is attached.

It is sad that a killer fiber like asbestos which is banned in 55 countries is being used in Himachal Pradesh to manufacture asbestos cement sheets disregarding the fatal health impact for present and future generations. This plant should be stopped to save residents from incurable lung cancer like diseases.

I submit that asbestos death toll has surpassed traffic fatalities in Australia. In US, every year 10, 000 people are dying because of asbestos related disease. There is an epidemic of asbestos diseases in Europe. In India, a silent Bhopal disaster is happening every year. The rate of consumption of asbestos in India is rising at an alarming rate due to budgetary support. Nearly all of India's asbestos is mixed with cement to form roofing sheets. Bolstered by asbestos import tariffs that have been reduced from 78% in the mid-1990s to 15% by 2004, the country's asbestos-cement industry is increasing by roughly 10% every year. Since 2003, companies no longer require a special licence to import chrysotile asbestos. Some typical asbestos-based materials include sound insulation infill, thermal insulation lagging, tape, rope, felts, blankets, mattresses, asbestos boards, gaskets and washers, drive belts/ conveyor belts, roofing sheets and slates, drain and flue pipes, rainwater goods, fascia boards, bath panels, ceiling tiles, toilet seats, cisterns, bitumen damp proof course, lining to walls, lab bench tops, extraction hoods and fume cupboards,
brakes and clutches, cooling tower elements and others.

Since 1960, India has incorporated about 7 million tonnes of asbestos into its buildings. The health consequences are already apparent, but the scale of the problem is not clear because there is no documentation of disease caused by environmental and occupational factors. “The Government of India has a very poor, almost non-existent, system to record death and disease”, explains Arthur Frank from Drexel University , Philadelphia , PA , USA who was in New Delhi in March 2011. Besides, cancer is not a notifiable disease. Prof. Frank cited a hospital in Mumbai which sees a dozen cases of mesothelioma every year. Studies have shown high rates of asbestosis among workers in the industry, including in those whose exposure to the material has spanned less than 5 years. There has been no real assessment of [asbestos-related disease] to the point that you can get accurate figures.

Like Endosulfan, several attempts were made to include chrysotile asbestos (White Asbestos) on the UN’s prior informed consent list of hazardous chemicals. This year Government of India also agreed at the UN meeting to include it in the list of hazardous substances.

I submit that the verdict even by the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Appellate Body (AB) validated the rights of Member States to prohibit the import and use of goods which contain carcinogenic substances such as chrysotile asbestos (white asbestos) is noteworthy. On March 12, 2001 the WTO's Appellate Body (AB) issued its ruling in the case of Canada vs. the European Communities Measures Affecting Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Products. It noted that safe and controlled use of chrysotile asbestos is impossible.

India is the largest importer of asbestos, according to the UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database. Most of it goes into making corrugated roofing sheets as building material. It is for this very reason that the plant is proposed in Himachal Pradesh as well.

Earlier, NHRC has passed an order in Case No: 693/30/97-98 recommending that the asbestos sheets roofing be replaced with roofing made up of some other material that would not be harmful.

I submit that the Annual Report of NHRC 2003-2004 refers to a Report entitled “Asbestos – Health and Environment – an in-depth Study “submitted by the Institute of Public Health Engineers, India. The study underlines that safe and controlled use of asbestos is not possible.

It is relevant to point out that asbestos waste (dust and fibers) has been treated hazardous in all forms and has been banned under Hazardous Wastes Management Rules farmed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. In our country, approximately 50, 000 people die every year due to asbestos related cancer. But so far Government of India has failed to take a pro-people’s health position and a scientific stand on the import of chrysotile asbestos whose mining is technically banned in India.

It is relevant to note that Kerala State Human Rights Commission has recommended ban on use of asbestos roofs for schools and hospitals. In this regard, I may point out that your urgent attention is required.

In such a context, I appeal to you to take note of:

• Resolutions of WHO and ILO (2005 and 2006 seeking elimination of future use of asbestos including chrysotile asbestos worldwide

• Need to announce the compensation package for present and future victims of asbestos diseases as it has done in the case of Silicosis and make the asbestos companies criminally liable for knowingly exposing citizens and consumers of asbestos products

• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ministry's statement in Rajya Sabha saying: "Studies by the National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, have shown that long-term exposure to any type of asbestos can lead to the development of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma'' on August 18, 2003

• Deliberations of the International Conference on "Emerging Trends in Preventing Occupational Respiratory Diseases and Cancers in Workplace" at Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi in March 2011 following which New Delhi Declaration Seeking Elimination of all forms of Asbestos including Chrysotile from India on 24 March, 2011

• The fact that every international health agency of repute including the World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the American Cancer Society agree there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Most recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reconfirmed that all commercial asbestos fibers - including chrysotile, the most commercially used form of asbestos - cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. In addition, IARC newly confirmed that there is sufficient evidence that asbestos causes ovarian cancer and reconfirmed asbestos causes laryngeal cancer

• The World Health Organisation estimates that asbestos already claims 107,000 lives a year. Even that conservative estimate means every five minutes around the clock a person dies of asbestos related disease. The ongoing use of the asbestos fibre kills at least 300 people every day

• The scientific process of the Rotterdam Convention and approve the recommendations of the Chemical Review Committee to list chrysotile asbestos in the PIC list of hazardous substances

• World Bank's Asbestos Good Practice Guidelines. These Guidelines, as well as its earlier Environmental, Health & Safety General Guidelines, require that the use of asbestos must be avoided in new construction in projects funded by the World Bank around the world. The Guidelines also provide information on available safer alternatives to asbestos.

In such a backdrop, it is germane to ask as to why Government of Himachal Pradesh should stop the manufacturing, procurement and use of all forms of asbestos including chrysotile asbestos.

It is submitted that Canadian government which exports chrysotile asbestos to India has removed it from Canadian Parliament and its Prime Minister's Home. India has technically banned mining of asbestos (including chrysotile) but allows import, manufacture and use of asbestos based products which are proven to be deadly!

The UN's Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade is an important tool to protect human health and the environment by controlling trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides that meet the requirements of the Convention.

You will agree that human biology is same everywhere if the asbestos is deemed hazardous in the developed countries; it must be deemed so in Himachal Pradesh too.

In view of the above, it is your solemn duty to protect the residents of Himachal Pradesh from the exposure of fibers of chrysotile asbestos.

All the groups working on human rights, labour rights, health rights and environmental justice will appreciate if you can intervene urgently in the matter of Chrysotile Asbestos as it did in the case of Endosufan when Kerala government acted.

I will be happy to share reference documents and more information in this regard.

Thanking You

Yours Faithfully
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
Tel:91-11-65663958, Fax: 91-11-26517814
Mb: 9818089660
Email: krishna1715@gmail.com
Web: banasbestosindia.blogspot.com

Lung Cancer Factory in Sirmaur District

Vardhman Roofings Private Ltd has proposed to set up a Asbestos Cement Sheet Plant (200 MT per day) at Trilokpur Road, Village Kheri, Tehsil Nahan, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. The total land area requirement is 3.42 ha. It is claimed that a green belt will be developed in 35% of total area. The project is estimated to cost Rs.300 million. The project was considered for Issuing Environmental Clearance on Feb 22, 2011 and the EC was issued on May 10, 2011.

It is sad that a killer fiber like asbestos which is banned in 55 countries is being used in Hiamachal Pradesh to manufacture asbestos cement sheets disregarding the fatal health impact for present and future generations. This plant be be stopped to save residents from incurable lung cancer like diseases.