SILICOSIS UPDATE:INDIA

Jagdish Patel
PEOPLES TRAINING AND RESEARCH CENTRE
INDIA
 ADVOCACY
Representation at
National Human Rights
Commission as member
of Jan Swthya Abhiyan-
a national campaign for
universal health services
and peoples health
rights. The meeting held
at New Delhi on January
6,2007 to review health
situation, took serious
note of Silicosis
 • Silicosis Victims Association
ADVOCACY (Gems) visited local Member
of Legislative Assembly and
presented memorandum.
• Association members also
visited District Collector and
presented memorandum.
• On April 4, Association was
invited by local
representative of Collector
for meeting. Later,
Association presented its
charter of demands to him.
• No action taken in this
regard despite several
reminders
 ADVOCACY
• Association wrote to the
Gems & Jewelry Export
Promotion Council
(GJEPC) to visit victims
• Association again wrote
to the Council with
copies to NHRC and
Ministry of
Commerce,Govt.of
India. No reply from
anywhere.
ADVOCACY
• On 5-07-07 Labor Secretary
invited a meeting of all stake
holders in which it was decided
that top level delegation shall
visit Khamabhat and Godhra in
July. But no visit has taken
place.
• Later, we separately called on
Labor Secretary and presented
demands in connection with
Khamabhat demands. We also
demanded implementation of
legal provisions in stone
crushing units.
Legal Action • A petition has been
submitted by PRASAR,
Delhi which has now been
joined by Shilpi Kendra in
Supreme Court of India. We
are supporting the petition by
giving our comments and
information as & when
needed.
• For compensation for
Silicosis victims in Godhra,
we have filed separate
petition in Gujarat High Court
which is being heard for
admission.
 Survey Outcomes
• 350 Suspect Silicosis patients found in
23 villages of Jhalod taluka, 2 villages of
Fatepura taluka and 1 village of Dahod
taluka.
• Over 50 workers villages reported died of
Silicosis.
• 97 workers have been examined by
CHC. 15 found having silicosis or silico-
tubercuosis. 10 found with TB. 12
needed repeat x-rays.
• 6 patients from 3 villages of Banswada
district of Rajasthan also found.
• 7 deaths from one family in Banswada
reported died of Silicosis.
Government
Action • 3 stone crushing units in Godhra
and two in Balasinor have been
ordered closure in 3ed week of July
by Govt. of Gujarat.
• Govt. has fined several units in
Khamabht for violating legal
provisions.
• Now Govt. is proposing to amend
the law to cover all the workers in
Gems & Jewelry industry to cover
under ambit of law by lowering the
number of workers from 5 to 1.We
protest this move as we feel that this
would lead to clandestine work and
menace of silicosis would cotinue.We
demand changes in law to make the
traders responsible.
CLINIC In collaboration with Krishna
Hospital and P.S.Medical
College, a clinic has been
started at our office in
Khambhat since June
last.2 intern doctors have
been placed while once in
a week experts visit the
clinic. PFT is carried out
using PTRC spirometer in
this clinic.Medicines are
given at highly subsidized
rates- Rs.5.
 WELFARE
• We have continued
with our efforts for
preventing exposure
to children in the age
group of below 5 by
Day Care Centre.
• We have also
continued working
with orphans and
single parent child
and widows.
 TECHNOLOGICAL
IMPROVEMENT
• Efforts for
improvement in
technology and
cheaper solutions is
also continued. There
is some reduction in
dust but the model
still needs
improvement and we
are working on it.