NHRC asks Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to submit their comments on Silicosis silently killing hundreds in MP Villages

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New Delhi May 28, 2008The National Human Rights Commission has asked Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to submit their comments on a news report which highlighted the plight of the labourers employed in quartz units in Gujarat. Taking suo-motu cognizance of the news report which appeared in the "The Times of India" on May 19, 2005 captioned "Silicosis Silently Killing Hundreds in MP Villages" the Commission said that the news report raised serious issue of violation of human rights of the labourers employed in quartz units in Gujarat.According to the press report, the family members (wife, elder brother and two sisters) of one Kailash a resident of a village in Kukshi block of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh had died of silicosis. He was also suffering from the disease and was on verge of collapse. He belonged to Bhil tribe. The report further alleged that hundreds of other Bhil tribals of Jhabua and Dhar district of M.P. had been suffering from the disease and awaiting their death. It was also mentioned that as per survey conducted in 2007 by a group of doctors in 21 villages of Jhabua, 158 people were found dead of silicosis and 266 others suffering from the disease. In addition 28 people had died of silicosis in village Rordha. The report alleged that the tribals were taken to work at quartz crushing units of Gujarat as unregistered daily wagers. During quartz crushing, the labourers take in dust which causes incurable disease, Silicosis. The Commission after going through the press report has asked the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to submit their comments within four weeks. source: http://nhrc.nic.in/