ITV report says asbestos waste in Kymore still endangers residents
A former British industrial giant’s decision to base an asbestos factory in Madhya Pradesh continues to put lives at risk decades later, according to a report by UK broadcaster ITV News on Thursday. The report said the town of Kymore remains contaminated by an estimated 1 million tonnes of asbestos waste linked to Turner & Newall, once one of Britain’s largest and most profitable industrial companies.
ITV News said asbestos-contaminated dirt, dust and soil can still be found in playgrounds, sports fields, residential neighbourhoods and open land across the town. Dr Muralidhar Venkiteswaran, who has diagnosed residents over the years, told the channel: “I’m really shocked that practically everyone seems to have asbestosis in this town, in this particular town.”
He added: “All these people will die due to suffering. It is not just dying; they will suffer a lot due to respiratory distress, a lot of money in medical expenses, and lung cancer expenses.” During the investigation, an ITV News reporter wore specialist respiratory protection after being advised of the potential risks posed by airborne asbestos fibres.
In his televised report this week, Sam Holder said: “Everywhere you walk in this area, there’s asbestos. At first you think, well, maybe it’s stones or rocks, but no, it is just broken pieces of asbestos. Exactly the kind of thing that releases potentially deadly fibres and the kind of thing that would set alarm bells ringing immediately in Britain.”
The report followed families who believe they are living with the effects of asbestos exposure. Among them is Somesh, a father in his forties, who was diagnosed with advanced cancer after being exposed to asbestos in his school playground as a child. According to Dr Muralli, the cancer has spread extensively through Somesh’s body and he is unlikely to survive beyond six months.
The programme also cited internal company records from the 1970s in which a Turner & Newall doctor urged management to better protect Indian workers from asbestos exposure. In one document, the doctor warned workers “must be told of the dangers and risks” and should not be left to discover them for themselves, before “the tragedy which has befallen workers exposed to asbestos in other parts of the world occurs all over again in India”.
Turner & Newall later became one of Britain’s biggest industrial success stories before collapsing in 2001 amid extensive asbestos litigation in the UK and the US. While compensation arrangements were set up for some victims, campaigners said no provision was made to fund the removal of asbestos waste that remains across Kymore.
A UK government spokesperson said: “These claims are truly shocking, and our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones as a result of these irresponsible actions. We expect all UK companies to respect human rights and the environment throughout their operations and supply chains, and we are also considering the findings of a review of the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct.” The report said the contamination in Kymore and its impact on residents remain at the centre of the case decades after the factory was set up.
