Ban Asbestos Network India (BANI)

Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI)  is being funded by multinationals from EU who want to promote their substitute products in the Indian market. Also active support is being provided by the Steel Sheet / Pipe manufacturers’ lobby in India which commercially benefits by the increased sale and market share of metal roofing sheets and metal pipes,  if manufacture of Asbestos Cement Sheets and Asbestos Cement Pipes is discontinued in India.

The campaign launched by BANI and other anti-asbestos spearheads, prominent among them being Dr TK Joshi, Dr Qamar Rahman, Mr Gopalakrishna, Ms Madhumita Dutta, et al for ban of Chrysotile Asbestos is totally misplaced and misleading. Their campaign is not based on any Scientific evidence in India or elsewhere, and is totally dictated by vested commercial interests. The Activists try to create a hysteria by  quoting data/experience of past Asbestos usage notably in the European Union, which has no relevance at all in Indian usage (ref - Usage in Western World not relevant in India ). Their attempt is to mislead the general public and policy makers, without drawing the distinction in the asbestos fibre types or current safe usage under strict pollution levels laid down by the Indian and International authorities.

In 2002, BANI through an Advocate Mr. Jayjit Ganguly filed a PIL in Kolkata High Court seeking a ban on the use of AC pipes. The case was disposed off by the High Court in 2004 in favour of the Industry.