Even as International Labour Organisation (ILO) expresses its view seeking all 177 member countries to ban asbestos with immediate stress on banning of children working/handling asbestos in any facilities by all its member countries in Bangkok, Clemant Godbout, chairman of Asbestos International Association (AIA), Canada who clearly appeared to be under immense pressure from the growing movement seeking ban on asbestos said, Rotterdam Convention is bad. It’s a problem. Its big mistake against a good product. Canada proposes objection to the Convention along with the group of over 60 countries where white asbestos is being used.

In the plenary session of SAICM (strategic approach to international chemicals management) organised by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Bangkok, Dr Jukka Takala, Director, InFocus Prog on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment, SafeWork-ILO in a statement said: "The ILO has updated its estinmates on global accidents and diseases related to work. Out of 2 million work-related fatalities, we have estimated using an Australian method that 440 00 are caused by hazardous substances and lack of chemical safety. A great majority of them take place in agriculture and informal sector in developing countries. A single substance, asbestos, causes some 100 000 of these fatalities"

Towards the end of the the two day conference during 10-11 November 2003 which took place in Taj Palace, New Delhi, one participant asked as to how the asbestos industry is likely to react to the plan of the Environment Journalists who are planning to sue the publications like The Times of India group and The Indian Express group for carrying asbestos advertisements. Brig. V Pattabhi, Business Consultant, Building Products, India replied on behalf of the Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers’ that the advertisments were infact articles written by the journalists and asbestos cases in courts brings the asbestos industry publicity.

A group of asbestos exposure victims from Gujarat and Rajasthan are giving a represetation to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today. Even as the widow of Kodanthan Pani Azhakappan whose husband died after 28 years of service in Shree Digvijay Cement Co. Ltd is on her way to NHRC, a close door meeting of the asbestos conference delegates of different countries is reportedly underway in New Delhi, although officially the conference is over to tell the world that white asbestos is safe.

Godbout said, there is a big difference between amphibole and chrysotile. The chrysotile is the reality. We are working with safer usage. There products like cellulose and Poly viny Alcohol which can replace it but is it more durable, cheaper. He asked, can anyone prove that white asbestos is less safer tahn the aternatives? We want answer and proof. The principles of safe use must be applied. Only few countries have banned it. We respece their right to ban it but they must also respect our right to use it.

Godbout said, the two days International Conference on Chrysotile Asbestos Cement Products is the best conference he has ever attended. AIA will hold another meeting as we need to meet more often to strategise. We are the ambassadors of chrysotile fibre in our respective countries. These ambassadors came from countries like Russia, Kazalkstan, Greece, USA, Canada, Iran, France, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Poland, Cuba, El Salvador, South Africa, Thailand, Brazil, Phillipines, Mexico, Belgium and Indonesia.

M L Gupta, chairman, Asbestos Information Centre said, the conference of the 2001-2 could not be held because of international crisis and the March 2003 conference is being held now because of SARS.


The Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers’ Association (ACPMA), New Delhi organised the two days International Conference on Chrysotile Asbestos Cement Products. The subject of the conference is "Scientific Review on Health & Environment Aspects and Economic Relevance".

It was inaugrated by Mr T R Baalu, minister of environment and forests. The guest of honour is Mr July Moyo, Minister of Labour Zimbabwe and Chindori Chininga, Minister of Mines Zimbabwe and Brian Dickson, Deputy High Commissioner,
Canada.

On 10 Novemeber, the prelude session started with the welcome address of Dr G Vivekanand, chairman of the conference organising conference, chairpersons for the session were D B Deb, Deputy Director General, Directorate General, Factory Advice and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Ministry Labour and Dr Jacques Dunnigan, President, J D Inc.Canada.

Speakers in the prelude session included Dr Kevin Browne, former, member, Medical Board, UK Government on "differences in asbestos fibre types: review of published biological evidence", Dr David Bernsten, consultant, Toxicology, Switzerland on "Biopersistence of chrysotile asbestos: most recent results of inhalation study", Denis Hamel, director, Asbestos Institute, Canada on "review of usage of different asbestos fiber types, products and processes before 1980s".

The technical session I was chaired by Dr V Rajgopalan, chairman, central pollution control board, Dr Kevin Browne, former, member, Medical Board, UK Government and S A Bhimraja, Vice chairman, ACPMA.

The speakers included Dr Jacques Dunnigan, President, J D Inc.Canada, Dr S P Vivek Chandra Rao, Hyderabad Industries Limited on "Review of studies conducted in the Indian Chrysotile Asbestos Cement Products' Industry", Prof. L T Elovskaya, Russian Academy of Medical Science, WH Collaborating Centre, Russia on " Risk Analysis for workers at the Russian Chrysotile Cement Plant", Dr G Mataka, Medical Advisor, SMM Holdings Pvt Limited Zimbabwe on " Health experiences in Chrysotile Asbestos Miners and guidelines to Chrysotile industry".

Technical Session II was chaired by Denis Hamel, director, Asbestos Institute, Canada, Iqbal Ahmed, Senior Asst Director, Head, Fibre Toxicology, Industrial Toxicological Research Centre, Lucknow and Amitabh Tayal, Managing Director, U. P. Asbestos Limited.

Speakers for Guidlines to Chrysotile asbestos cement industry included Denis Hamel on "International Loabour Organisation", M R Rajput, deputy director, Regional Labour Institute, Y Srinivasa Rao, senior vice president (technical), M/S. Eternit Everest Limited on "India", Rubens Rela Filho, president SAMA, Brazil on "Brazil" and D B Mundra, senior vice president, Hyderabad Industries Limited on " low cost pollution control equipment in asbestos cement industry.

On 11th Novemeber, Technical session III was chaired by Dr G V Subramaniam, director, Indian Ministry of environment and forests, Mr Tatishev, Kazakisthan and A K Saraf, ACPMA.

The speakers included Dr Jacques Dunnigan on Modern usage of Chrysotile asbestos cement-its impact on the general enevironment and E V Kovalluski, Russian Academy of Medical Science, Russia on "Ecological hygienic items of usage of asbestos and artificial mineral fibre in civil engineering.

The Technical Session IV was chaired by Brig. V Pattabhi and Dr T V Ranga Rao, director, medical, Central Labour Institute.

The speakers included Dr Arti Shukla, Res. Asst. Prof., Dept. of Pathology, University of Vermont, USA on "Health issues in use of Chrysotile in manufacture of Chrysotile cement sheets", J Birdie, Managing Director, International Centre for Asbestos Research, University of Glamorgan, Wales, U.K on "A ban on Chrysotile: will it save your health or harm your wealth", Dr John Hoskins, Independent Toxicologist, U.K on "health effects of substitute fibres" and Dr Lakshmi Raghupati, additional director, MoEF on "Management of Asbestos Cement Waste".

The Technical Session V was chaired by G Sanjeeva Reddy, All India President, INDIAN NATIONAL TRADE UNION CONGRESS (INTUC), Clemant Godbout, chairman of Asbestos International Association (AIA), Canada and M L Gupta, chairman, AIC.

Speakers inluded Denis Hamel, on WTO, EPA and EC, Clemant Godbout on Canada and V Pattabhi on " substitutes to asbestos cement roofing sheets, progress and limitations.

The Final and the technical session was chaired by Dr P K Sishodiya, deputy director, Directorate General of Mines and Safety (DGMS), Dhanbad, O.P. Jagetiya, president, Hyderabad Industries Limited. The speakers were Dr G Vivekananda, chairman, Visaka Industries Limited on "Chrysotile asbestos cement products, economic relevance, aligning with national prorities and Dr Louis Perron on " About Rotterdam Convention"

The Cheif Guest and Guest of Honour were Dr Sahib Singh Verma, Indian Labour Minister and Mr Bandaru Dattatreya, Indian Urban Development Minister along with Shindori Chiningain, Minister of Mines from Zimbabwe who presided over the function.

Mr Baalu and Dr Sahib Singh Verma are known supporters of asbestos industry despite Indian and global evidence of hazards from asbestos. Bandaru Dattatreya, Indian Urban Development Minister has also joined the tribe which has chosen to remain gullible despite massive world opinion against asbestsos products.

One wonders what is the interest of Zimbabwe Ministers and what the stance Zimbabwe based civil society organisations.

The conference had active participation from the Ministry of Commerce of Industry, Mininsitry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Labour of Government of India and The Asbestos Institute, Canada, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Asbestos International Association, USA.

Around 250 delegates attended the conferenceand about 100 were from overseas.

"Indian asbestos cement industry is growing with an annual turnover of Rs 2000 crores and has immense potential but there has been opposition from few sections of the society regarding the use of chrysotile asbestos cement products which need to be addressed. India only chrysotile (white) asbestos is used and most of it in manufacture of cement based products so it is of importance to know the health consequence of this particualr usage", said A K Saraf, chairman, ACPMA.

The 11th November ACPMA Press Release said, asbestos cement products are environment friendly and are produced under controlled conditions which are safe for human beings. The low cost pollution control equipment's, progress and limitations of subsitute fibres were discussed.

ACPMA and Asbestos Information Centre (AIC) are one and the same as is evident from their Press Release. But interestingly, the Release says, AIC is a non-profit organisation which was formed on 1980 under Society's Registration Act 1860. AIC is attached to Asbestos International Association, USA having 32 countries as its members. In 1985, the members of AIC manufacturing asbestos cement products formed an association ACPMA registered with Registrar of Society. ACPMA has 13 members with 34 manufacturing units located in various states providing direct and indirect employment to one lakh persons.

ACPMA has claimed that they have briefed Sharad Yadav, Consumer Affairs Minister, Arun Jaitley, Commerce and Industry Minister. It has given presentation to the Environment Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board. It is the member of the Ad hoc Panel constituted by Bureau of Indian Standards. It has launched a Public Relations campaign through PR agencies through ads in National Dailies like Hindustan Times, Economic Times and advertorials in magazines

On 11th November the Indian Express and The Financial Express has carried a four page supplement as features again glorifying asbestos cement industry, earlier The Times of India and the The Economic Times carried also chose to put profit above public health by carrying features saying white asbestos is safe.