silicosis status in india

1. SILICOSIS : STATUS IN INDIA
MADE BY:- DRX. JAYESH M RAJPUT

2. 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

3. ADVOCACY
 SilicosisVictimsAssociation (Gems)
visited local Member of Legislative
Assembly and presented
memorandum.
 Association members also visited
District Collector and presented
memorandum.
 OnApril 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.