silicosis update-anroav 2007

8/8/2019 Silicosis Update-Anroav 2007

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SILICOSIS UPDATE:INDIA

Jagdish Patel

PEOPLES TRAINING AND RESEARCH CENTRE

INDIA


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ADVOCACY

Representation atNational Human Rights

Commission as member

ofJan Swthya Abhiyan-

a national campaign foruniversal health services

and peoples health

rights. The meeting held

at New Delhi on January6,2007 to review health

situation, took serious

note of Silicosis


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ADVOCACY Silicosis Victims Association

(Gems) visited local Member

of Legislative Assembly andpresented 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 itscharter of demands to him.

No action taken in this

regard despite several

reminders


4/12

ADVOCACY

Association wrote to

the Gems & Jewelry

Export Promotion

Council (GJEPC) to

visit victims

Association again

wrote to the Council

with copies to NHRCand Ministry of

Commerce,Govt.of

India. No reply from

anywhere.


5/12

ADVOCACY On 5-07-07 Labor Secretary

invited a meeting of all stakeholders in which it was decided

that top level delegation shall

visit Khamabhat and Godhra in

July. But no visit has takenplace.

Later, we separately called on

Labor Secretary and presented

demands in connection with

Khamabhat demands. We alsodemanded implementation of

legal provisions in stone

crushing units.


6/12

Legal Action A petition has beensubmitted by PRASAR,

Delhi which has now beenjoined by Shilpi Kendra inSupreme Court of India. Weare supporting the petition by

giving our comments andinformation as & whenneeded.

For compensation forSilicosis victims in Godhra,we have filed separatepetition in Gujarat High Courtwhich is being heard foradmission.


7/12

Survey Outcomes

350 Suspect Silicosis patients found in23 villages of Jhalod taluka, 2 villages ofFatepura taluka and 1 village of Dahodtaluka.

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. 12needed repeat x-rays.

6 patients from 3 villages of Banswadadistrict of Rajasthan also found.

7 deaths from one family in Banswadareported died of Silicosis.


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Government

Action 3 stone crushing units in Godhraand two in Balasinor have been

ordered closure in 3ed week of Julyby Govt. of Gujarat.

Govt. has fined several units inKhamabht for violating legal

provisions. Now Govt. is proposing to amend

the law to cover all the workers inGems & Jewelry industry to coverunder ambit of law by lowering the

number of workers from 5 to 1.Weprotest this move as we feel that thiswould lead to clandestine work andmenace of silicosis would cotinue.Wedemand changes in law to make thetraders responsible.


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CLINIC In collaboration with KrishnaHospital and P.S.MedicalCollege, a clinic has been

started at our office in

Khambhat since June

last.2 intern doctors havebeen placed while once in

a week experts visit the

clinic. PFT is carried out

using PTRC spirometer inthis clinic.Medicines are

given at highly subsidized

rates- Rs.5.


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WELFARE

We have continuedwith our efforts forpreventing exposure

to children in the agegroup of below 5 byDay Care Centre.

We have also

continued workingwith orphans andsingle parent childand widows.


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TECHNOLOGICAL

IMPROVEMENT Efforts for

improvement in

technology and

cheaper solutions isalso continued. There

is some reduction in

dust but the model

still needsimprovement and we

are working on it.


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silicosis update-anroav 2007

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