Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Students Youth Dharna in support of the farmers of Marwan
The students' and youths' organisation like the AIDSO, AISF, AISA, SFI,
DSU, RYA, DYFI, AIDYO, AIYF organised a dharna on Bhagat Singh Chowk,
near Gandhi Maidan, Patna on 21 February, 2011 in support of the struggling
farmers of Marwan fighting against the setting up asbestos factory
in densely populated area .
Friday, February 18, 2011
Asbestos fight gets ugly
Police use batons, tear gas on protesters of plant in Muzaffarpur
Author(s): Chhandosree Thakur
Issue: Feb 28, 2011
MORE than 5,000 people were lathicharged while protesting the construction of an asbestos plant in a village in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. On January 22, residents of Chainpur were staging a sitin outside the site to protest cancercausing asbestos when police tried to disperse them. When the protestors turned violent, the police resorted to lathicharge and burst tear gas shells.
“We were on a dharna. After a while police officials came from inside the plant and asked us to leave. When we refused, they started beating us,” recalled Ashutosh. “When the officials did not stop, a passerby went to nearby villagers for help. Within minutes about 5,000 people rushed to protect us,” said Panwa Devi. “More cops were called and instructed to use batons.” Police did not even spare women and children.
“One policeman hit me with the butt of his gun near the left side of my chest. I was holding my daughter on my right,” said Kalash Devi. “When the police failed to disperse us, they used aansu gas (tear gas),” added Krishna Kumar.
By the time a senior officer arrived, more than a dozen people were critically injured, including six women, he added. Shashikant Singh, sub-inspector of Karja police station that has jurisdiction over Chainpur, said: “We cannot allow anyone to take law in their hands.”
When asked why women and children were beaten, he said: “We didn’t hit them. They must have got hurt in the furore.”
Duped in name of development
In January 2010, private company Balmukund Cement and Roofing Limited bought some portions of agricultural land from a few residents of Chainpur, saying it will build an iron rod factory or a farmhouse. Instead, it started building an asbestos fibre and cement roofing plant on the 18-hectare (ha) plot (see ‘Asbestos unit disturbs Chainpur’s peace’, Down To Earth, June 30, 2010). The construction began before the project received clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. It got the green signal in October 2010.
“It has been more than a year since we started protesting,” said septuagenarian Madnesh of Chainpur. Jugal Kishore, like the rest of the villagers, sold his land thinking an iron rod factory will lead to the development of Chainpur. He along with rest of the villagers has proposed the company set up any other factory that has no health hazards. “We know the ill-effects of asbestos.
Three men from our village who worked for years in asbestos factories in other states died of cancer,” Kishore said. Madnesh claimed the company not only acquired properties illegally but also cheated the government by giving wrong information about the land. The company has shown that the 18-ha plot is barren and has Patahi village in its east, Jaitpur in the west, Bahilwara and Kanti in the south and north respectively. “The facts are just the opposite.
Chainpur is just a stone’s throw from the factory; Parari and Jian are within a 50 metre radius. And most importantly, the land is fertile,” said Madnesh.
No medical aid
Residents allege that besides lathicharging and throwing protestors behind bars, the police and the company officials have resorted to another tactic to silence them: denying medical help.
Some private medical practitioners are receiving threats not to attend any villager who is against the asbestos plant. Kaushal Kishore Singh of Chainpur is one of them. “They are asking me not to treat them. How can I ignore sick people?” he asked.
Author(s): Chhandosree Thakur
Issue: Feb 28, 2011
 |
| Several protests have taken place at the plant site since January 2010 (Photo: Madhav) |
MORE than 5,000 people were lathicharged while protesting the construction of an asbestos plant in a village in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. On January 22, residents of Chainpur were staging a sitin outside the site to protest cancercausing asbestos when police tried to disperse them. When the protestors turned violent, the police resorted to lathicharge and burst tear gas shells.
“We were on a dharna. After a while police officials came from inside the plant and asked us to leave. When we refused, they started beating us,” recalled Ashutosh. “When the officials did not stop, a passerby went to nearby villagers for help. Within minutes about 5,000 people rushed to protect us,” said Panwa Devi. “More cops were called and instructed to use batons.” Police did not even spare women and children.
 |
| Kalash Devi, a resident of Chainpur |
By the time a senior officer arrived, more than a dozen people were critically injured, including six women, he added. Shashikant Singh, sub-inspector of Karja police station that has jurisdiction over Chainpur, said: “We cannot allow anyone to take law in their hands.”
When asked why women and children were beaten, he said: “We didn’t hit them. They must have got hurt in the furore.”
Duped in name of development
In January 2010, private company Balmukund Cement and Roofing Limited bought some portions of agricultural land from a few residents of Chainpur, saying it will build an iron rod factory or a farmhouse. Instead, it started building an asbestos fibre and cement roofing plant on the 18-hectare (ha) plot (see ‘Asbestos unit disturbs Chainpur’s peace’, Down To Earth, June 30, 2010). The construction began before the project received clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. It got the green signal in October 2010.
“It has been more than a year since we started protesting,” said septuagenarian Madnesh of Chainpur. Jugal Kishore, like the rest of the villagers, sold his land thinking an iron rod factory will lead to the development of Chainpur. He along with rest of the villagers has proposed the company set up any other factory that has no health hazards. “We know the ill-effects of asbestos.
Three men from our village who worked for years in asbestos factories in other states died of cancer,” Kishore said. Madnesh claimed the company not only acquired properties illegally but also cheated the government by giving wrong information about the land. The company has shown that the 18-ha plot is barren and has Patahi village in its east, Jaitpur in the west, Bahilwara and Kanti in the south and north respectively. “The facts are just the opposite.
Chainpur is just a stone’s throw from the factory; Parari and Jian are within a 50 metre radius. And most importantly, the land is fertile,” said Madnesh.
No medical aid
Residents allege that besides lathicharging and throwing protestors behind bars, the police and the company officials have resorted to another tactic to silence them: denying medical help.
Some private medical practitioners are receiving threats not to attend any villager who is against the asbestos plant. Kaushal Kishore Singh of Chainpur is one of them. “They are asking me not to treat them. How can I ignore sick people?” he asked.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Mass Popular Protests against Proposed Asbestos Factory in Bihar, India
International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions
Over the last six months, public opposition has been growing in the eastern Indian State of Bihar over plans for a factory to manufacture asbestos products. Local residents took to the streets en-masse on 10 February in the state capital Patna in a rally coinciding with the group "Citizens Forum Against Asbestos" submitting a memorandum seeking the cancellation of the industrial license given to the proposed factory.
The campaign against the new factory is now pressuring the federal Indian government to offically impose a nationwide ban on the large-scale import of asbestos. Bihar state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar shifted blame from his administration to the national government. "This factory has received the environmental clearance from the government of India. There should be a uniform policy, and asbestos factories stopped all over the country," he stated.
The campaign against the new factory is now pressuring the federal Indian government to offically impose a nationwide ban on the large-scale import of asbestos. Bihar state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar shifted blame from his administration to the national government. "This factory has received the environmental clearance from the government of India. There should be a uniform policy, and asbestos factories stopped all over the country," he stated.
Construction at the Balmukund Cement and Roofings Ltd. (BCRL) factory has now been suspended.
While India’s national government has banned the mining of asbestos, it allows trade, manufacture, and use of the mineral, despite proven dangers of inhaling asbestos fibre. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 90,000 people die of asbestos-related illnesses every year. The White Asbestos Bill is currently pending in the Indian Parliament and awaits further debate. The legislation would ban the use and import of the deadly mineral. Almost half of the imported asbestos into India is mined in Canada.
Inhaling asbestos fibre or dust can result in the painful and eventually fatal condition called mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer. Most patients are poor workers without access to medical care. Asbestos is banned in the European Union, Australia, and Japan.
While India’s national government has banned the mining of asbestos, it allows trade, manufacture, and use of the mineral, despite proven dangers of inhaling asbestos fibre. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 90,000 people die of asbestos-related illnesses every year. The White Asbestos Bill is currently pending in the Indian Parliament and awaits further debate. The legislation would ban the use and import of the deadly mineral. Almost half of the imported asbestos into India is mined in Canada.
Inhaling asbestos fibre or dust can result in the painful and eventually fatal condition called mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer. Most patients are poor workers without access to medical care. Asbestos is banned in the European Union, Australia, and Japan.
A much-criticised memorandum of understanding was signed on 31 December 2010 between the Board of Trade of Montreal, Canada, and the Indian Chamber of Commerce for the "safe" use of asbestos. The agreement is seen as a clear disregard for the health of Indian workers, as profit-motive is the priority for both groups. The inclusion of a representative of Balcorp Ltd., a major asbestos miner and exporter, in the trade mission to India led by Quebec’s Economic Development Minister earlier this month, has caused much concern for Indian activists.
Protest against Sex Education in Schools
Patna: Activists belonging to the All India Democratic Student Organization (AIDSO) in Patna on Tuesday staged a dharna outside the District Magistrate's office to protest against introduction of sex education among the class IX and X students in India.
"While the standard of education continues to spiral down everywhere and both local and central governments refuse to address issues related with education, they are too eager to introduce sex education in Indian classrooms," AIDSO secretary Saroj Kumar Suman said.
Calling sex education in classrooms a pervert deviation from the conventional teachings in classes across the nation, the protestors accused the administration of trying to destroy generations in the name of AIDS control.
"We are not against checking AIDS in India but we will fight tooth and nail against the government's attempt to destroy our culture and promote sexual perversion in the society," Suman said.
"While the standard of education continues to spiral down everywhere and both local and central governments refuse to address issues related with education, they are too eager to introduce sex education in Indian classrooms," AIDSO secretary Saroj Kumar Suman said.
Calling sex education in classrooms a pervert deviation from the conventional teachings in classes across the nation, the protestors accused the administration of trying to destroy generations in the name of AIDS control.
"We are not against checking AIDS in India but we will fight tooth and nail against the government's attempt to destroy our culture and promote sexual perversion in the society," Suman said.
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