Taking cognisance of the inhuman, barbaric and pathetic conditions of the asbestos mining operations in India in general and Rajasthan in particular,

And also taking note of the European UnionÕs asbestos ban and Collegium Ramazzini*Õs call for international ban on asbestos states that Òall forms of asbestos are an occupational and environmental hazard of catastrophic proportion. The profound tragedy of the asbestos epidemic is that all illnesses and deaths related to asbestos are entirely preventableÓ.

The International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), Environment Health Criteria 203 concludes and recommends protection of human health from exposure to chrysotile asbestos because it poses increased risks for asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. ÒNo threshold has been identified for carcinogenic risksÓ. It adds, where safer substitutes material are for chrysotile asbestos is available, they should be considered for use. IPCS specifically discourages the use of chrysotile asbestos in construction materials, the use for 90 percent of all asbestos in India.

We at the International Symposium on Health Effects of Hazardous Materials-Phasing Out the Most Hazardous One-Asbestos on 13th April, 2002, in New Delhi, are alarmed by the misinformation brought to our notice by a report of Asbestos Information Centre (AIC), called Chrysotile asbestos, a magic mineral Ð it will have us believe that the pattern of asbestos is entirely different in India hence most of the diseases pattern seen in the west bear no relevance to the magnitude of Indian experience.

Contrary to these misleading facts, Dr Qamar Rahman, head of the toxicology division of Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC), Lucknow, one of the most renowned toxicologists of India revealed a very shocking data on cellular and genetic mutations and about the plight of the asbestos mine workers especially women. She informed the scientific and medical community present here about the occurances of asbestos related diseases that includes cases where women have died after 6-7 years of the first exposure as was reported by the government doctors.

We, the delegates present here publicly denounce the wanton greed and callousness of asbestos industry and the inhuman conditions of the mine and milling workers. The industry has started harrassing even the occupational and medical professionals who have disclosed the gravity of hazards of asbestos, particularly Dr. Tushaar Kant Joshi, a well known occupational health expert, simply for leading medical efforts to bring asbestos hazards under control in India and for having a public discussion on the justification for banning asbestos. As medical and public health professionals, we support Dr. Joshi and agree that efforts to ban the use of asbestos in India should be given serious and immediate attention by the government of India. We urge the government to take immediate action to correct the horrendous conditions prevailing at the asbestos mines and to close milling and mining activities immediately.

In short we

1. Urge the Indian government to immediately close the mining and milling of asbestos in India and provide medical follow up and compensation to the affected workers;

2. Support ban on manufacture and use of asbestos and asbestos products as recommended by Collegium Ramazzini and International Commission on Occupational Health;

3. Ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 162 on Asbestos by the Government of India and

4. Take strong objection to efforts by the asbestos industry to harrass medical and public health professionals.