NGO writes to NHRC on talc issue

Amid reports that a product of a leading firm allegedly contained cancer-causing asbestos, a city-based NGO has written to the NHRC, seeking its intervention in the matter.

In a letter written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Toxics Watch Alliance (TWA) has cited media reports and claimed that a national laboratory in Lucknow has "corroborated" the findings.

The NGO has said that it has sought to draw the "urgent attention" of the rights panel, towards the relevance of the report on the baby talc powder manufactured by global major Johnson & Johnson.

"In view of the above, I seek Commission's urgent intervention to recommend complete stoppage of ongoing exposure of Indians to carcinogenic asbestos fibers-contaminated talc powder of Johnson & Johnson and other companies in India," the NGO's director Gopal Krishna was quoted as saying in the statement.

Following orders of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), drug inspectors have seized samples of various baby products of Johnson and Johnson from wholesalers, retailers and distributors across the country on Friday, an official had said.

The regulator on Thursday had ordered the firm to not use talc raw material from its Mulund plant in Mumbai and Baddi unit in Himachal Pradesh for production till further direction.

The inspectors collected samples of Johnson and Johnson's baby powder from both the plants, amid reports that the product allegedly contained cancer-causing asbestos.

The company said on Wednesday they were "fully cooperating" with the CDSCO by providing tests and samples, and said Johnson & Johnson's baby powder is asbestos-free and doesn't cause cancer.