Silicosis death of 4 Gujarat workers: NHRC takes 10 years to 'request' compensation

By A Representative
After waiting for 10 long years of a complaint filed by a health rights organization, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the district collector, Bharuch, Gujarat, to take up the matter of paying compensation to the next of kin (NoK) of four confirmed cases of deaths due to the fatal occupational disease silicosis with the labour department, Rajasthan government.
Filed by Jagdish Patel of the People’s Training and Research Centre (PTRC), Vadodara, on May 27, 2010, the complaint to NHRC was regarding the four workers who had died between 2007 and 2009: Raju Zaverbhai Patel, 37 (date of death February 9, 2007), Amarsing Dabhaibhai Gohil (62; May 9, 2009), Rajubhai Maganbhai Rathod (32; November 25, 2009) and Yusuf Alimohammad Nur (43; February 10, 2009).
In a detailed complaint, Patel said that the four workers, belonging to the Jambusar taluka, were employed in agate polishing units in Jaipur, where exposure to lethal silica is “very high”. On being sick, they returned to their native village and died a painful death, without larger society taking note of it.

NHRC recommendation is disappointing, does not specify the amount to be paid, the only ray of hope is the pneumoconiosis policy of the Rajasthan government

Patel said, “During our field work, we visited the families of the workers, talked to them at length to collect the occupational history and treatment papers including x-rays. We sent these x-rays and occupational history to medical experts separately to seek their opinion.”
Following the PTRC complaint, the process of paying compensation turned into a bureaucratic quagmire, with the district collector, Bharuch, asking NoK of the four deceased persons to visit the office of the Industrial Safety and Health, Bharuch, to report about their case. NoK faced several hurdles, included submission of claim under the Workmen’s Compensation Act in Jaipur, and inability to find out the exact name and address of the employers.
“After a long silence”, said Patel, “NHRC considered the matter on January 27, 2020. It decided to direct the Bharuch district collector to take up the matter with the Labour Authorities of Jaipur, Rajasthan, for payment of appropriate monetary compensation to NoK of the deceased persons. However, the NHRC recommendation does not specify the amount to be paid.”
Pointing out that the NHRC recommendation is “disappointing”, Patel added, the only ray of hope now is the pneumoconiosis policy, passed by the Rajasthan government, and unveiled on October 2, 2019.

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

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.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog