Continuing the ill-advised policies of the previous governments, the Minister of Finance, P. Chidambaram has reduced the customs duties on asbestos to 15 per cent. This is going to have disastrous consequences for heath. Earlier the asbestos industry through its influence within the power corridors of the Indian political system had managed to bring down the import duty on asbestos from 110 per cent in 1992 to 50 per cent, thus reducing total import cost by 25-30 per cent.

India has also been reducing the customs duty on asbestos fibre in recent years (from 78 per cent in 1995-96 to 25 per cent in 1999-2000. Fifty per cent of the sales of asbestos cement are in the rural sector and 30 and 20 per cent in the industrial and urban sectors respectively. However, its affordability is due in part to favourable government policies. Such incentives are spurring the asbestos industry to expand.

According to the recent issue International Journal on Occupational and Environmental Health quotes the estimates by the Chennai based The Cancer Research Institute suggesting that 3-4 % of all lung cancers in India are asbestos –related. The budget has ignored both global and national movement demanding a ban on import and use of white asbestos, which is leading to the death of thousands annually in India.

It is used mainly for water pipes or as roofing sheets in the construction industry. It is also used in the 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 etc.

Thirty 30 deaths are caused per day from asbestos-related diseases as per estimates based on US and European studies. White asbestos continues to be in use in India although other kinds such as blue and brown asbestos are banned. Asbestos is being promoted freely whereas the developed countries keep away from it. Successive governments in India have promoted this killer mineral fiber against public health.

Besides all round denunciation of the uncalled for promotion of this hazardous underway, a seminar organised by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) on 8th July 2004 condemned the move after a briefing from Ban Asbestos Network of India.

India faces a massive and completely preventable epidemic of early, painful death and suffering caused by white asbestos. In the coming days efforts would be made to persuade the Finance Minsitry to reconsider its encouragement to asbestos.

The question is why does India continue to allow the import of asbestos even though it has banned its mining. There are one lakh workers directly exposed and 3 crore construction workers are being subjected to asbestos dust on a day-to-day basis.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs Sushma Swaraj accepted that studies by the National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, have shown that exposure to any type of asbestos can lead to the development of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Although this clearly implies that white asbestos is hazardous and a health hazard, Indian government representatives, astonishingly, objected to the extension of prior-informed consent to cover white asbestos as a material subject to trade control at the Rotterdam Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Convention in Geneva in November 2003.

The Convention came into force in February 2004 under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is a globally binding instrument that provides an early warning system and transparent information on chemicals that have been banned or restricted by at least two countries.

On the issue of asbestos, Justice R. K. Abichandani, Judge, High Court of Gujarat writes, "Right to health and medical care is a fundamental right under Article 21 read with Articles 39( c), 41 and 43 of the Constitution to make the life or workman meaningful, held the Supreme Court in CERC Vs Union of India.

A scientific paper published in the National Medical Journal of India 2001 (January-February), titled ‘Carcinogenicity of asbestos: Convincing evidence, conflicting interests’, stated, “A look at the history of corporate activities in asbestos-related research reveals a disturbing trend. Information that was made available, through legal interventions, clearly shows how for half a century the asbestos industry in collaboration with some academic leaders of occupational medicine successfully suppressed evidence against asbestos.”

In such a scenario a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking ban on import, manufacture and use of which came for hearing on 12th July, 2004. As per apex courts orders, notices have been issued to Union of India and all the States and Union Territories.

Martin Barratt, Second Secretary (Commercial), Canadian High Commission in India reported to his superiors in Canada that Asbestos Information Centre (AIC), a Canadian industry body in India accepts that “unorganised sector does use imported products that they acquire through agents.” “A ruling which states that subjecting a worker to asbestos is a violation of human rights could have far reaching consequences whether or not it is binding,” added Barratt.

South Africa is to ban the manufacture and new use of asbestos according to an announcement made on June 21, 2004, by Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. Speaking at a Parliamentary press briefing, the Minister explained: “For certain products where no current alternatives are available we will allow for a three-to five-year phasing out period.” The ban will be promulgated by legislation due before Parliament by the end of the year.

It came as no surprise that the Canadian Government announced in early June, 2004 that it would continue to veto United Nations' plans for restrictions on global sales of chrysotile (white asbestos). In the run-up to the June 28, 2004 federal election, there was never any doubt that politicians would sacrifice the health of Canadian and foreign workers to placate powerful commercial and political interests; however, the fact that the press conference took place at Thetford (Asbestos) Mines, speaks volumes about the trade-off made between Ottawa's vote-hungry politicians and Quebec's profit-hungry asbestos producers.

Canada wants the slaughter to continue in India and our Union Budget has helped Canadian Governmet do so by reducing the custom duty.