Under the influence of Russia, Canada and asbestos companies, Indian and Pakistani governments compelled the UN conference in Rome on 28th October, 2008 to miss the opportunity to include chrysotile (white) asbestos in the UN hazardous chemicals trade watch list for the fourth time. Asbestos is a cancer causing fiber due to which 10, 000 people are dying every year in US and 4, 000 per year in UK. More than 50 countries including Europe, Japan, Australia have banned it.
Governments of India and Pakistan revealed how it is puts trade before human health in an act of manifest sophistry and insincerity.
Ban Asbestos Network and civil rights groups across the globe condemned such treacherous callousness in the face of incurable but preventable asbestos disease epidemic.
In a noteworthy but unpardonable collaboration between India and Pakistan both the countries decided to endanger the lives of their citizens, children, women and workers by betraying public interest for the benefit of Russia, Canada and asbestos companies.
Both the governments turned a blind eye towards the poisonous atmosphere around the asbestos factories and the dangers it poses to the health and life of citizens. This was being done just to pander to the industry's hunger for profit at human cost.
This came to light at the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-4) of the UN's Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade during 27-31 October 2008.
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