The worst case of silicosis was uncovered when 14 out of 14 mine workers, who had been for a medical examination in Kota, were confirmed positive. The average age of these mine workers is 48 years. The figure is the highest percentage of confirmed cases of silicosis examined by the Pneumoconiosis Board. Sources said these persons will now be provided with monetary relief of Rs 1 lakh by
the environmental board. However, till date not a single mine worker has been given compensation under the workmen compensation rules in absence of employment records.
This is the first time after the amendment in Rajasthan Workmen’s Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Rules, 1965 that the Pneumoconiosis Board gathered in Government Medical College & MBS Hospital, Kota to diagnose occupa
tional diseases. Prior to the constitution of the board most of the workers had been diagnosed for tuberculosis.
Under the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923, the state government established Rajasthan Silicosis Rules, 1955. A decade down the line the government came out with Rajasthan Workmen’s Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Rules, 1965 under Section 32 of Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923.
Rana Sengupta of Mine Labour Protection Campaign, which has been fighting a battle for the rights of mine workers for over a decade now, said, “It's about time the govt takes an initiative to scan all the tuberculosis diagnosed patients in the mining areas for silicosis and an inventory of the silicosis confirmed cases is prepared. These people should then be given monetary relief. But if these patients die then the government should pay Rs 3 lakhs to the next of kin.“