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Asbestos: The ‘Killer Dust’ hovering over the Bihar sky

By Prof Ashok Ghosh

Prof Ashok Kumar Ghosh

I was in Germany on24th November, 2010 when the landslide victory for Nitish Kumar was announced in Bihar assembly elections. One of my journalist friends called me and asked my opinion about the priorities and challenges before the new Government. My first reaction was – “Congratulations to all fellow Bihari’s for their mature verdict and to Mr.Nitish Kumar for his victory. Now the time has come for industrialization of Bihar for its economic growth.”

I never imagined at that time that the first big news related to industrialization after the installation of NDA II government will be the proposed asbestos cement roofing sheet factory asbestos factory (BCRL) in the vicinity of flourishing habitation Marwan (Muzafferpur) inBihar. Deadly asbestos is known

Asbestos and Hazards…

for its sinister effects, giving it the names ‘the killer dust’ and ‘the silent time-bomb’. The proposed capacity of the asbestos factory is 3,00,000 tonnes per annum (TPA)- more than sufficient for repeating a ‘Turner &Newall’ asbestos epidemic of UK. The health of a population of about 30,000 of Bishnupur-Chainpur village is threatened. It is also reported that there are around 15-20 schools within 1,000 metres from the site of construction. The likely effect of this asbestos factory on the health of the children studying in these schools has never been evaluated.

Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that asbestos result in lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs).

Asbestos related lung disease has Long latency period, there is distinct Dose-response relationship, there is possibility of persistence of the risk after cessation of exposure, and there is no treatment or treatment is poorly effective. Besides the individual suffering the diseases cause to the patients with virtually no possibility of cure especially for mesothelioma and lung cancer, asbestos has caused and continues to cause enormous economic damage. Some numbers from my German contacts: In 2003 more than 1,000 cases of death from asbestos (1,068) were recorded, after 899 in 1995 and 957 in 2000. And the peak to this development has not been reached. Due to the long latency period between exposure and the outbreak of the diseases it lies still in the future.

We all are aware that there is no environmental and occupational health centres in Bihar. It has been scientifically confirmed that the lung cancer risk increases in population exposed to asbestos and risk multiplies in smokers. Unfortunately the rural population of Muzafferpur have very high number of Bidi smokers, which will be disastrous in combination with asbestos.

 Lung Cancer risks from Asbestos

(Source: Dept. of Labour and Industries- USA)

It is strange that the Ministry of Environment and Forests awarded thisfactory environmental clearance, and even Government of Bihar provided green signal for its implementation.

Despite a series of protests and demonstrations by locals and media outcry, to the best of my knowledge the project has not been abandoned yet. It is the responsibility of, doctors, trades unionists, scientists, and media to pinpoint and highlight the failures in screening process which led to permission for opening of this “time bomb” in Bihar. I appeal to the Ministry of Environment and Forest , Government of India and the Government of Bihar to re-evaluate the proposed asbestos factory and get fresh EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment ) done by qualified agency before it is given green signal , so that the health of the poor population living in its vicinity is not jeopardized.

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Prof.  Ashok Kumar Ghosh is Professor-in-Charge in the department of Environment and Water Management, A.N.College [Magadh University], Patna, India.He writes a column on environment and water resources in Bihar, exclusively for BiharDays every Mondays.

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