Gujarat authorities 'caring little' for Morbi's 55 deadly silicosis victims

By Mahesh Makwana*

Silicosis could have been prevented if the Factories Act was properly enforced. Kill us with the knife we offer you, do not kill us by silicosis– this is the sufferers' outcry of silicosis victims of Morbi, Gujarat, known as a top ceramic hub of India.

The Silicosis Victims Association, Morbi, presenting a memorandum to the Assistant Director, Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), Morbi, regarding non-compliance with the Factories Act, said, currently there are more than 55 silicosis patients in the town, but no one has any proof of having worked in a factory, hence, they cannot claim compensation.

Who is responsible for this? Only the owners or even the officials who have the responsibility to enforce the law?, the momerandum asked.

For the protection of safety and health of workers, laws are made and mechanisms are put in place to monitor their compliance, and tax-paying citizens' money is used to maintain that mechanism. But the system is busy protecting the owners, it said.

If there are laws for the protection of safety and health of workers and if they were followed properly, why would even one of the 55 patients do not have any factory-issued Identity card? Why are workers not getting the benefits they are entitled to under the social security laws?

Representatives of the Silicosis Victim Association, Morbi, expressed told the officer concerned, if the main bread earner of the household suffers from silicosis, the family can't earn livelihood, and, in that situation, if you can't give us justice, we offer you a knife, kill us.

The representatives of the aggrieved association asserted that if the Factories Act had been properly implemented, today they would not have been victims of the dreaded disease silicosis.

The association demanded the following for compliance with the Act:

1. The authorities should provide evidence of factories where silicosis sufferers worked previously.

2. All the workers currently working in the factories of Morbi district should be provided with ID card.

3 There are several provisions to protect the health of the workers to be followed. There is a need to measure dust level, noise and other pollutants in the workplace and take legal action to cancel the license of units whose pollution exceeds the legal limits prescribed by the law.

4. The authorities must train all workers in safety and health as per Section 111 of the Factories Act. They should disclose the statistics of those who have been trained so far.

5. The authorities should conduct medical examination of all the workers and publish the reports thereof.

6. Safety committee must be formed in all units its members must be trained.

7. Licenses of the units in which silicosis affected workers are found should be cancelled.

A request was made to take appropriate action within 30 days regarding these demands.

----

*President, Silicosis Victims Association

Comments

Delhi Jal Board under fire as CAG finds 55% groundwater unfit for consumption

By A Representative A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audit report tabled in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on 7 January 2026 has revealed alarming lapses in the quality and safety of drinking water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), raising serious public health concerns for residents of the capital.

Advocacy group decries 'hyper-centralization' as States’ share of health funds plummets

By A Representative In a major pre-budget mobilization, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), India’s leading public health advocacy network, has issued a sharp critique of the Union government’s health spending and demanded a doubling of the health budget for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year.

Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s views on religion as Tagore’s saw them

By Harasankar Adhikari Religion has become a visible subject in India’s public discourse, particularly where it intersects with political debate. Recent events, including a mass Gita chanting programme in Kolkata and other incidents involving public expressions of faith, have drawn attention to how religion features in everyday life. These developments have raised questions about the relationship between modern technological progress and traditional religious practice.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Pairing not with law but with perpetrators: Pavlovian response to lynchings in India

By Vikash Narain Rai* Lynch-law owes its name to James Lynch, the legendary Warden of Galway, Ireland, who tried, condemned and executed his own son in 1493 for defrauding and killing strangers. But, today, what kind of a person will justify the lynching for any reason whatsoever? Will perhaps resemble the proverbial ‘wrong man to meet at wrong road at night!’

Zhou Enlai: The enigmatic premier who stabilized chaos—at what cost?

By Harsh Thakor* Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 1949 until his death and as Foreign Minister from 1949 to 1958. He played a central role in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for over five decades, contributing to its organization, military efforts, diplomacy, and governance. His tenure spanned key events including the Long March, World War II alliances, the founding of the PRC, the Korean War, and the Cultural Revolution.

'Threat to farmers’ rights': New seeds Bill sparks fears of rising corporate control

By Bharat Dogra As debate intensifies over a new seeds bill, groups working on farmers’ seed rights, seed sovereignty and rural self-reliance have raised serious concerns about the proposed legislation. To understand these anxieties, it is important to recognise a global trend: growing control of the seed sector by a handful of multinational companies. This trend risks extending corporate dominance across food and farming systems, jeopardising the livelihoods and rights of small farmers and raising serious ecological and health concerns. The pending bill must be assessed within this broader context.

Climate advocates face scrutiny as India expands coal dependence

By A Representative The National Alliance for Climate and Environmental Justice (NACEJ) has strongly criticized what it described as coercive actions against climate activists Harjeet Singh and Sanjay Vashisht, following enforcement raids reportedly carried out on the basis of alleged violations of foreign exchange regulations and intelligence inputs.

Search This Blog