Former Agriculture Minister of Bihar supports the farmers struggling against asbestos factory at Marwan

Muzaffarpur, June18:

Under the auspices of Khet Bachao Jiwan Bachao Jan Sangharsh Committee (KBJBJSC) a mass meeting was held at Chainpur Middle School ground under Marwan bloc in Muzaffarpur district, Bihar in continuation of the protests against setting up deadly asbestos factory. Addressing the mammoth gathering Ram Jiwan Singh, noted Socialist leader and former Agriculture Minister, government of Bihar said, “There are some prerequisites for opening a factory. Raw materials should be available nearby the factory. It should not have ill effects on the health of the people residing nearby. But the very asbestos factory being constructed at Marwan does not fulfill any of the prerequisites. The raw material required for this factory will be brought from Canada. The neighboring people will suffer form cancer. There is no sufficient market for the product too. It is beyond the understanding how the government of Bihar permitted the owner to set up such a factory of carcinogenic nature here.” In spite of relatively low fertile land in Punjab, the people of Bihar go there for agricultural work. Punjab has more small industries and this is why people from outside the state get job easily. The soil of Bihar is favorable for the cultivation of Mango, Litchi, banana, sugarcane, rice, potato, tomato, maize etc. If industries are set up based on these materials, agriculture will be developed without health hazards and more people will get employment and as well, he added. He expressed his belief that CM Nitish Kumar will certainly ban the asbestos industry. I shall be forefront it is necessary to die in order to stop the factory, he added.

Addressing the gathering Surendra Kumar, National Secretary, Gandhi Peace Foundation said, “The government is serving only the capitalists. The administration and the owner hatched a conspiracy to divide the people fighting against the setting up of asbestos factory. He stressed the need to intensify the struggle of the farmers. The meeting was addressed by Harinandan Ishwar, Zila Parsad Neera Devi, Farukh Azam, Mukhiya Umesh Mahato, Panchayat Samati Sadashya Md. Mosim, Tarkeswar Giri, Ramashankar Singh, Convener Ramchandra Ray, Journalist Kundan Kumar and Arun Kumar Singh. The meeting was presided over by Sikandar Singh.