Press Statement

Canada Condemned!!

Delhi, India: November 22, 2011:

Members of the Asian Ban Asbestos Network (A-BAN) who gathered in Jaipur, Rajasthan last week condemned the Indian’s Government’s collusion with global asbestos lobbyists and highlighted the devious and immoral behaviour of Canadian asbestos stakeholders who continue to promote sales of deadly asbestos to unsuspecting populations throughout Asia.

A statement issued by A-BAN delegates – the Jaipur Declaration – called “upon the Quebec Government to reject calls from (Canadian) asbestos industry profiteers, in particular the international consortium led by Baljit Chadha, for a $58 million loan guarantee to finance the development of new underground asbestos mining facilities in Quebec.”

Commenting on the A-BAN activities in Rajasthan, Mohit Gupta, Coordinator of the Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India, said:

“Although, the logistical challenge posed by bringing Indian and A-BAN delegates to Jaipur were considerable, it was of immense import for members of our network to engage with grassroots activists from across India in a state where so many people have been damaged by deadly exposure to asbestos. Unfortunately, these dangerous exposures continue.”

Reflecting on the wide range of events, discussions, presentations and meetings held in Rajasthan last week, A-BAN Coordinator Sugio Furuya, from Ban Asbestos Japan, said:

“India is the world’s biggest importer of asbestos. Asbestos sales continue to increase and hazardous exposures are a fact of life for many workers and members of the public. Creating the opportunity for Indian colleagues to report on the impact of asbestos use in their communities and detail innovative projects to identify and support the injured has not only informed the network but also provided vital space for the development of future initiatives.”

Having heard detailed reports on issues affecting communities in India which are resisting the imposition of asbestos-cement factories in their midst, as well as having received feedback from Asian, European and North American colleagues, a statement was issued; the Jaipur Declaration called on the Indian Government to take immediate action to “safeguard human health, protect the environment and secure the universal right to life (See Appendix A).”

Notes to editors:

1. The A-BAN meeting was sponsored by the Asian Ban Asbestos Network, the Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat. For more information on this event, contact Sugio Furuya (A-BAN) or Mohit Gupta (OEHNI) by email respectively at nrd15877@nifty.com or mohit.gup@gmail.com

2. Global asbestos consumption in 2010 was 2,029,586 tonnes; almost 70% (1,373,689 tonnes) of which was consumed in Asia. India is the world’s biggest asbestos importer having imported 408,431 tonnes in 2010, the majority of which came from Russia, Brazil and Canada. India is Canada’s biggest market for asbestos.

3. Canadian asbestos stakeholders in government and industry continue to make concerted attempts to develop asbestos markets in India in collaboration with Indian asbestos vested interests at all levels of government, Indian asbestos trade associations and commercial vested interests. Canadian civil society, major medical associations and publications as well as representatives of Canadian labour have spoken out against the country’s double standards at selling to India a product deemed too hazardous to use in Canada.

4. For further background on asbestos issues in Asia and elsewhere, see various publications on the website: www.ibasecretariat.org including India’s Asbestos Time Bomb: http://ibasecretariat.org/india_asb_time_bomb.pdf