Lok Sabha Question No. 1274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-22
Subject: Environmental Clearance to Asbestos based Factories
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1274

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2017

## Environmental Clearance to Asbestos based Factories

## 1274.   SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY: DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to prohibit the use of asbestos based products to safeguard  public  health  in  the  wake  of  recent  estimate  that  asbestos  is  causing millions of occupational deaths globally every year;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to prepare a register of asbestos exposed persons and asbestos laden buildings and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  stop  granting  environmental  clearance  to asbestos based factories across the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  any  compensation  package  for  the  victims  of  asbestos  exposure  has  been announced and if so, the details thereof along with the other remedial measures taken by the Government to save people from exposure to hazardous asbestos?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) &  (b) White Asbestos is used for various purposes viz. asbestos cement pipes, roofing of households, asbestos based manufacturing products like brake linings etc. The Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  has  notified  the  revised emission  standards  for  asbestos  based  products  manufacturing  industries  in March,  2006.  These  standards  are  being  enforced  through  respective  State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution Control Committees.

In order to assess the environmental and health hazards, arising from the use of Chrysotile asbestos in the country, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers had commissioned  a  study  titled  'Study  of  Health  hazards/Environmental  hazards resulting  from  use  of  Chrysotile  variety  of  Asbestos  in  the  Country'  through National  Institute  of  Occupational  Health  (ICMR-NIOH),  Ahemdabad.  The report  submitted  by  NIOH  was  assessed  by  an  Inter  Ministerial  Committee constituted  under  the  Chairmanship  of  the Secretary,  Department  of  Chemicals and Petrochemicals to consider the findings of the NIOH study report. The NIOH report  does  not  indicate  any  significant  health/environment  hazards  resulting from the use of Chrysotile asbestos under normal conditions, coupled with the fact that wet process being followed by most of the asbestos products manufacturing units in the country apart from its cost effectiveness and extensive use by the masses.

- (c ) No sir.
- (d) There is no proposal to stop granting the environmental clearance to the asbestos based factories across the country.
- (e) The matter of compensation for workers in the country is determined by relevant rules  and  regulations,  as  applicable  such  as  The  Workmen's  Compensation  Act 1923, The Factories Act 1948, The Mines Act, 1952 etc.

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