NHRC notice to Gujarat chief secretary following silicosis deaths in Rajkot

By A Representative
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Gujarat chief secretary and the district magistrate, Rajkot, to respond to a complaint filed by health rights activist Jagdish Patel of the People's Training and Research Centre (PTRC), Vadodara, regarding the alleged death of Raju Prakash Parihar and two others reportedly because of silicosis, a fatal occupation disease, in Rajkot, one of Gujarat’s top cities.
In a notice issued to the chief secretary and the district magistrate, NHRC, even as pointing out that at least three other workers were contracted the fatal disease, said, the senior Gujarat officials have been “asked to look into the issue and direct the concerned officials to verify” the complaint, insisting ,they should “take necessary steps to extend monetary relief and rehabilitative steps to the next-of-kin as well as workers suffering from silicosis.”
Asking the district magistrate, Rajkot, to respond “within eight weeks”, the notice said, “It is pertinent to mention here that these people, who have allegedly died of Silicosis and / or are suffering from silicosis. Hence, the State government has to keep this in mind while enquiring into the matter.” The incident of the death of Parihar and others came to light in August 2019.

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