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| | Asbestos roof, a threat to life
Replacement found for thatched roofs in the state is one with asbestos sheets, which is a cancer causing material. Asbestos is a poisonous material, inhaling its dust causes a cancer of cells lining the lung, mesothelioma.
Thatched roof is being removed with asbestos in haste following the fire tragedy in a school in Kumbakonan, 350 km from Chennai. 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. Thirty 30 deaths are caused per day from asbestos-related diseases as per estimates based on US and European studies. Following the devastating fire tragedy at a private school in Kumbakonam on July 16, the Tamil Nadu Government had banned classes under thatched roof. As per the government order, a private school in Kailasapuram area had decided to replace the existing thatched roof with asbestos roofing. All over Tamil Nadu, the cool and eco-friendly thatched roofing has become the favourite whipping boy overnight with the state government ordering that removal of thatched roofing from all schools by July 30. Non-compliance could cost the schools their recognition. There are 300 high schools and higher secondary schools, and, 2,000 primary schools (run by the government, local bodies and private managements), spread across 22 blocks in the Thanjavur district. Parents of the students are opposed to the school management's move to switch over to asbestos roofs and insisted on concrete roofing for the safety of the students. However, the school management refused to concede the demand and asked the parents to transfer their children to other schools, if they didn't want to adhere to the school's decision. In protest against the school management's adamant stand, about 500 people, including students and parents, resorted to the road-roko. On 12 July, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre and the states on a public interest litigation that seeks a ban on the use of asbestos alleging that more than 1,00,000 workers have fallen victim to its carcinogenic effect. The petitioner has sought ban on the import, manufacture and use of asbestos but in India, its use is growing at a rate of 12 per cent annually. In Delhi, there is an order, which prohibits all news schools from using asbestos. In such a situation it would be in the interest of public health to reconsider the order about asbestos roofs for schools.
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