|
Stop using asbestos for school roofing: NGO
By Various Contributors
Published in toxicslink.org, 15/08/2004
The State government should ensure that asbestos is not used as roofing
material in place of thatched roofs in schools and immediately withdraw
any order to that effect, Toxics Link, a NGO campaigning against environmental
toxicity has said.
In the wake of the Kumbakonam tragedy, the move to replace
thatched roofs is welcome but using asbestos instead is "hasty, but
shocking and dangerous" as it involves children’s health and
the larger public interest, Rajesh Rangarajan, regional coordinator of
the NGO, said in a press release here on Tuesday.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen and asbestos dust can cause a fatal lung
condition called mesothelioma. Data available with the Chennai-based Cancer
Research Institute has stated that 3 to 4 percent of all lung cancers
in India are asbestos-related. There is a global campaigning for banning
the commercial use of asbestos.
There are many established safer alternatives to asbestos
which has been banned in all leading European countries and 2005 has been
set as the deadline by EU for a ban by all countries. An order is already
in force in Delhi which prohibits all new schools from using asbestos,
the NGO pointed out.
[Post your view on this article]
|
