Dear Gopal, This is great news. Let us hope that the same parties will take up the issue at the national level.
Regards, JP ====================== On 1 February 2011 19:12, Gopal Krishna <[email protected]> wrote: > *Press Release * > > * > * > > *Construction of Asbestos Plant in Muzaffarpur Stopped * > > * > * > > *Nine Left Parties Appeal to Bihar CM in Support of Ban Asbestos Struggle > in Bihar* > > * > * > > *Incestuous Relation of Asbestos Company & Govt Condemned * > > > Muzaffarpur/Patna/New Delhi, 1/2/2011: In the aftermath of the announcement > of the stoppage of construction work for the hazardous Asbestos Cement Plant > & imposition of Section 144 of Indian Penal Code in Chainpur-Bishunpur, > Marwan, Muzaffarpur, nine political parties have sent a joint letter to the > Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seeking permanent closure of the asbestos > factory. These parties sat on an unprecedented Mahadharana at the > Muzaffarpur District Collectorate. *The joint letter is attached*. > > > It is a scientifically and medically established fact that the proposed > Chrysotile (White) Asbestos based plant will cause preventable but incurable > diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. So far more than 55 > countries have banned asbestos of all kinds and UN agencies like WHO and ILO > have sought elimination of future use of asbestos of all kinds including > white asbestos. It is also a proven fact that safe and controlled use of > asbestos is impossible. > > > This letter was read out today at a Mahadharana of thousands of people led > by Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) [SUCI], Communist Party of > India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPIML], Samajwadi Jan Parishad (SJP), Communist > Party of India (Marxist) [CPIM], Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist > Party of India Marxist-Leninist (Liberation), Revolutionary Socialist Party > (RSP), Forward Block, Marxist *Communist* Party of India (United) [MCPIU]. > The joint letter seeks immediate intervention of the Bihar Chief Minister > to prevent asbestos plant and expressed disappointment with the role of > Union Environment Ministry and Bihar’s Environment Department. > > > The letter and Mahadharna of these parties expressed their support for the > struggle of the villagers’ Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jansangharsh Committee > which is underway for the last six months. This movement against the toxic > asbestos plant has faced police atrocities including lathi charge and police > firing. Initial objections against the proposed Asbestos Plant of Balmukund > Cement & Roofing Ltd were raised in May 2010 when it was found that the > company has indulged in fraudulent misrepresentation by referring to fertile > land as barren land and misleading the villagers about the purpose of the > acquisition of the agricultural field. The company has violated every > provision of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006. > > > The speakers at the Mahadharna raised slogans like “Sushil Modi-N K Kanodia > Murdabad”, District Magistrate Anand Kishore-Balmukund Murdabad” referring > to the collusion between the Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, > Balmukund company’s owner and district administration. The Mahadharna was > addressed by Asbestos Mukti Andolan/Ban Asbetsos Network of India (BANI) as > well raising issues of other proposed asbestos plants in Bihar including: > > 1) Chennai based Ramco Industries Ltd for establishment of 1,20,000 > MT/Annum Capacity of Asbestos Cement Sheet Plant and 2 Lakh MT/Annum > Capacity of Cement Grinding Plant at Industrial Area, Bihiya, Bhojpur > > 2) Chennai based Nibhi Industries Pvt. Ltd for establishment of the One > Lakh MT Capacity Asbestos Fiber Cement Corrugated Sheet, Flat Sheet and > Accessories and Light Weight Fly Ash Block Plant at Industrial Growth > Centre, Giddha, Ara, Bhojpur > > 3) Andhra Pradesh based Hyderabad Industries Ltd for establishment of > 2,50,000 MT per year capacity Asbestos Cement Sheeting Plant in two Phases > at Kumarbagh Industrial Area, West Champaran > > 4) Kolkata based Balmukund Cement & Roofings Ltd for establishment of 1.5 > Lakh MT capacity production unit of Asbestos Fiber Cement Sheet > (Corrugated/Flat) and Accessories at Chainpur-Bishunpur, Marwan, Muzaffarpur > > > 5) Kolkata based UAL Industries Ltd for Establishment of 2, 33, 000 MT per > year capacity Asbestos Cement Sheet and Corrugated Sheets Plant in two > phases at Goraul, Vaishali in the name of UAL-Bihar. Earlier it was proposed > at Bakhtiyarpur > > 6) Rajasthan based A Infrastructure Ltd for establishment of 1, 25, 000 MT > per year capacity Asbestos Cement (A.C.) Sheet and 1,00,000 MT per year > capacity A.C. Pressure Pipe at Pandaul Industrial Area, Madhubani. > Earlier it was proposed in Industrial Area, Kumarbagh, Bettiah > > > The Mahadharna was presided over by Shiv Shankar, SUCI (Communist), Ajay > Kumar Singh, CPI, Ram Pukar Sahni, CPIM, Sakal Thakur, CPIML (Liberation), > Jagat Narain Rai, SJP, Uday Shanakr, CPIML, Chandra Mohan Prasad, MCPIU and > Anawarul Haq, RSP. *The Press Release issued on behalf of the nine parties > in Hindi is also attached*. > > > The Mahadharna and the joint letter demanded immediate closure of the > factory, withdrawal of fake cases against the conveners of the villagers’ > Khet Bachao Jeevan Bachao Jansangharsh Committee, unconditional release of > the arrested leaders of the Committee and sought action against the culprits > who fired and lathi charged peaceful protestors including women. > > * > * > > *For Details*: Gopal Krishna, Ban Asbestos Network of India/Asbestos Mukti > Andolan, > > Mb: 9818089660, 07739308480, E-mail: [email protected] > > Web: banasbestosindia.blogspot.com > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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