Patna,(BiharTimes): With Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) cancelling the No Objection Certificate given to the asbestos factory units of Tamil Nadu based Nibhi Industries Pvt Ltd and Ramco Industries, Bihar is all set to be free of asbestos based factories like more than 55 countries that have banned production, use, manufacture and trade of the hazardous mineral fibre, asbestos.

The countries, which have banned asbestos are: Nepal, Algeria, Czech Republic, Iceland, Malta, Seychelles, Argentina, Denmark, Ireland, Mozambique, Slovakia, Australia, Egypt, Israel, Netherlands, Slovenia, Austria, Estonia, Italy, New Caledonia, South Africa, Bahrain, Finland, Japan, Norway, Spain, Belgium, France, Jordan, Oman, Sweden, Brunei, Gabon, South Korea, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, Kuwait, Portugal, Turkey, Chile, Greece, Latvia, Qatar, United Kingdom, Croatia, Honduras, Lithuania, Romania, Uruguay, Cyprus, Hungary, Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia.

This include all the 27 countries of European Union. There is a logical compulsion based on scientific and medical evidence including resolutions of WHO and ILO to ban asbestos of all kinds  including white asbestos to save life and health of Indians.

While the successful protests were underway in Muzaffarpur and Vaishali three asbestos plants got set up in Bhojpur district. Because of localization of media the Bhojpur media did not report the successful anti-asbestos struggle in other districts.

Due to relentless efforts of Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI) and ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) along with Parwaywarn Bachao Jeewan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and Parywawarn Swasthya Suraksha Samiti pointing out non-compliance with environmental laws, BSPCB has revoked its emission-consent order and discharge consent order which was valid till March 31, 2018.

Chairman, BSPCB has ordered the company in question, Tamil Nadu based Nibhi Industries Pvt Ltd to “close your industrial unit with immediate effect, failing which complaints shall be filed u/ss. 44 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and 37 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.” 

This land allotment was considered to be part of the scam that led to an inquiry into allotments by Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA).

In Giddha village in Koilwar block of Bhojpur district the 100,000 mt capacity asbestos fibre cement corrugated sheet, flat sheet, accessories and light weight fly ash block plant acquired 15 acres of land. The plant site is located adjacent to Ara-Koilwar road.