Silicosis deaths: Plea against Gujarat govt rejecting paltry Rs 1 lakh compensation to "late applicants"

By A Representative
In what is being interpreted as a clear case of insensitivity, the Gujarat government has refused to entertain application of five widows of the deadly silicosis disease because they failed to apply for Rs 1 lakh compensation within three months' time they are said to have been offered to produce necessary documents as proof.
Well-known health rights activist from Vadodara, Jagdish Patel, taking cognisance of the state government's rejection, has said, this is especially appalling, as, under a Supreme Court order, the state government is obliged to pay Rs 3 lakh compensation to Madhya Pradesh's migrant workers who die of silicosis while working Gujarat factories.
“Why are our own workers from Gujarat being paid just Rs 1 lakh?”, Patel, who has demanded that the compensation for silicosis victims should be increased to Rs 4 lakh in Gujarat, has wondered.
In a letter, Patel has asked the state labour and employment minister to show “more compassionate” and not “outrightly reject” the applications like this only because the kin could not produce proof that those who died indeed suffered from silicosis.
Patel, who heads People's Research and Training Centre (PTRC), said that the government should “understand” the victims come from poor families. “Their educational level is low, and they face considerable difficulty in obtaining necessary documents of proof”, he said.
Objecting to the rejection of application only because the kin were unable to send the pleas within the stipulated time frame, Patel said, “Such rejections only undermine the government scheme of providing a helping hand to the victims.”
The five persons, whose widows were told that they could not be offered compensation because of late application, belong to different villages of Khambhat taluka of Central Gujarat.
These are Sheikh Jakirhusain Kadarbhai of Bhoibari village, Sultanmiyan Abbasmiyan Malek of Tiba village, Parsottam Mithabhai Mithabhai Parmar of Shakarpur village, Sikandarsha Karimsha Fakir of Haryan village, and Buddhilal Punjabhai Gohil of Shakarpur village.
Patel said, “There is a long-standing tradition in the Khambhat region which bars widows to come out their residence for for several weeks after the death of their husband. Among Muslims, they are not allowed to move out of the house for three months.”
Pointing out that there is a need to “understand this factor while rejecting the application”, Patel said, even social activists belonging to his NGO, PTRC, are “unable to directly approach the widows during this period, which makes things even more difficult to make application on time.”
He added, “If the government so desires, it could charge a late fee. Even the courts do this, so what is the Gujarat government shy of this? Compensation must be provided in the name of natural justice.”
Late application is not the only reason why applications for compensation are being rejected. A National Human Rights Commission team, which took testimony of next of kin of about several workers who died due to the deadly disease, has reported (click HERE) that in Anand district out of 59 applications which were processed for compensation, only in 20 were accepted.
The application of 39 for financial assistance was “rejected”, five because of “incomplete record where names of candidates were not included” and the rest “on the ground of non-silicosis lung disease”.

Comments

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

Mergers and privatisation: The Finance Minister’s misguided banking agenda

By Thomas Franco The Finance Minister has once again revived talk of merging two or three large public sector banks to make them globally competitive. Reports also suggest that the government is considering appointing Managing Directors in public sector banks from the private sector. Both moves would strike at the heart of India’s public banking system . Privatisation undermines the constitutional vision of social and economic justice, and such steps could lead to irreversible damage.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Shrinking settlements, fading schools: The Tibetan exile crisis in India

By Tseten Lhundup* Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala has established the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the guardian of Tibetan culture and identity. Once admired for its democratic governance , educational system , and religious vitality , the exile community now faces an alarming demographic and institutional decline.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Counterview

Search This Blog