With two more silicosis deaths, toll reaches 20: Gujarat govt in “no hurry” to prevent disease, implement NHRC plea

Naresh M Rathod, Rafik Husen Malek

By Jagdish Patel*
With the death of two more agate workers due to silicosis, Rafik Husen Malek (43) and Naresh M Rathod (42), the toll because of the deadly occupational disease in Gujarat has reached 20 this year. Both were residents of Shakarpur, Khambhat taluka of Central Gujarat. Last year, 25 deaths took place as a result of silicosis.
Naresh started working at very a tender age, and later set up his own unit, which he ran for over 25 years. For the last three years, he was feeling sick and closed shop. He was bed ridden the last six months. As for Rafik, he worked as “bankda” worker at his home.
Naresh has left behind him two daughters and two son and wife Dharmishtha. Rafik has five daughters, youngest one being six, while the eldest, Amrinbanu, is 18. He is survived by his wife Farhadbanu and daughters.
Last June, the National Human RIghts Commission (NHRC) sent its high-level team for spot inquiry. Team spent a week in Khamabhat and held meetings with Government officials, traders, manufacturers, workers, silicosis victims and NGO representatives.
The committee, which submitted its report to the NHRC, recommended, in the main, that for the need to formulate a comprehensive policy to regulate functioning of agate units in order to address the problems of agate workers in general and in the light of Supreme Court judgement in the matter of PM Patel & Sons vs Union of India and Ors [1986-(001)-LLJ-0088-Supreme Court and 1986-(001)-SCC-0032-SC].

Bed-ridden Naresh

The committee sought the need to identify all the victims of silicosis, issue identity cards to them, sanction interim relief in deserving cases, extend proper treatment to those who are suffering from silicosis/ pneumoconiosis, alternative employment and rehabilitation to all such ailing persons.
It also insisted on need to compensate the next of the kin of the deceased, who died of silicosis/silica-tuberculosis while working in agate units.
Further, it sought updating of the number of factories functional in agate business and ensure minimum wages, provident fund, Employees’ State Insurance Scheme, etc. to the workers.
The committee insisted on the need to implement the Gujarat High Court guidelines on Special Civil Application No.4793 of 1998 (Suo Motu ss. State of Gujarat) and notification of Government of Gujarat dated December 26, 2014 under section 87 referred to with Section 85 of the Factory Act, 1948 in letter and spirit.
The NHRC sent the copy of the report to the Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat, f comments in November last.
The Government of Gujarat passed a resolution to pay relief of Rs 1 lakh to the next of the kin of the workers dying of silicosis. In all 95 families had applied, out of which 20 were paid the amount in June last. Since then, no one has been paid the amount and applicants are waiting for their turn to receive the amount.
Since 2006, 137 – 108 male and 29 female – workers have died. Many could not apply for want of legal heir, as required by the rules framed. The People Training and Research Centre (PTRC), Vadodara, has represented with the Government of Gujarat to consider such cases sympathetically.
---
*Senior activist with PTRC, Vadodara

Comments

From Kerala to Bangladesh: Lynching highlights deep social faultlines

By A Representative The recent incidents of mob lynching—one in Bangladesh involving a Hindu citizen and another in Kerala where a man was killed after being mistaken for a “Bangladeshi”—have sparked outrage and calls for accountability.

What Sister Nivedita understood about India that we have forgotten

By Harasankar Adhikari In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.

Aravalli at the crossroads: Environment, democracy, and the crisis of justice

By Rajendra Singh* The functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has undergone a troubling shift. Once mandated to safeguard forests and ecosystems, the Ministry now appears increasingly aligned with industrial interests. Its recent affidavit before the Supreme Court makes this drift unmistakably clear. An institution ostensibly created to protect the environment now seems to have strayed from that very purpose.

Safety, pay and job security drive Urban Company gig workers’ protest in Gurugram

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

India’s universities lag global standards, pushing students overseas: NITI Aayog study

By Rajiv Shah A new Government of India study, Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations , prepared by NITI Aayog , regrets that India’s lag in this sector is the direct result of “several systemic challenges such as inadequate infrastructure to provide quality education and deliver world-class research, weak industry–academia collaboration, and outdated curricula.”

The rise of the civilizational state: Prof. Pratap Bhanu Mehta warns of new authoritarianism

By A Representative Noted political theorist and public intellectual Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta delivered a poignant reflection on the changing nature of the Indian state today, warning that the rise of a "civilizational state" poses a significant threat to the foundations of modern democracy and individual freedom. Delivering the Achyut Yagnik Memorial Lecture titled "The Idea of Civilization: Poison or Cure?" at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Mehta argued that India is currently witnessing a self-conscious political project that seeks to redefine the state not as a product of a modern constitution, but as an instrument of an ancient, authentic civilization.

Why experts say replacing MGNREGA could undo two decades of rural empowerment

By A Representative A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

Bangladesh in turmoil: Rising insecurity, sectarian forces gain ground

By Bharat Dogra Many who initially welcomed the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are now reconsidering their stance. The reasons are stark. Law and order has deteriorated sharply, leaving large sections of the population—particularly political opponents—deeply vulnerable. Minorities report growing insecurity, with disturbing incidents of targeted violence. Inter-faith harmony is under unprecedented strain, while prospects for fair elections are fading as major political parties, including those with strong minority support, face exclusion and obstruction.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Search This Blog