Lok Sabha Question No. 4755 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-23
Subject: Labourers affected by Silicosis
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Arjunlal Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4755 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2020

## LABOURERS AFFECTED BY SILICOSIS

†4755. SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)whether  the  Government  is  identifying  the  number  of  labourers affected by silicosis disease who are working in mining areas;
- (b)if so, the State/UT-wise details thereof;
- (c)the  number  of  labourers  affected  by  the  said  disease  in  Udaipur,
- Dungarpur, Banswara, Paratgarh and Chittorgarh districts;
- (d)whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  take  any  special  steps
- for labourers affected by this disease; and
- (e)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a) & (b): Directorate  General  of  Mines  Safety  (DGMS)  under  the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India administers the  Mines  Act,  1952  and  Rules  and  Regulations  made  thereunder  to ensure safety, health and welfare of the persons employed in mines. National  Institute  of  Miners'  Health,  Nagpur  in  collaboration  with DGMS and DGMS with the help of State Government carried out the occupational  health  survey  in  various  state/Union  Territories  during the  calendar  years  2015  to  2019  to  detect  cases  of  silicosis.  In  the survey 391 cases of silicosis have been detected. The State/UT-wise details of Silicosis cases is given below:

| Name of State/ UT   |   No. of Silicosis case |
|---------------------|-------------------------|
| Jharkhand           |                      11 |
| Madhya Pradesh      |                      64 |
| Rajasthan           |                     216 |
| Gujarat             |                       8 |
| Karnataka           |                      27 |
| Andhra Pradesh      |                      11 |
| Telangana           |                      11 |
| Tamilnadu           |                      19 |
| Chattisgarh         |                       2 |
| Goa                 |                      15 |
| Uttar Pradesh       |                       7 |
| Total               |                     391 |

- (c): As per the study  conducted by DGMS during the calendar year  2017  &  2018,  the  number  of  labourers  affected  by  silicosis  in Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh districts is given below:
- (d) & (e): There  are  adequate  provisions  to  protect  the  interest  of labourers affected by the notified diseases under the Mines Act, 1952. The mines owners are required to comply with the provisions viz. to provide alternate employment in the mine for which he is medically fit, disability allowance determined in accordance with the rates prescribed etc.

| Name of District   | No. of Silicosis Cases   |
|--------------------|--------------------------|
| Udaipur            | 1                        |
| Dungarpur          | Nil                      |
| Banswara           | 11                       |
| Pratapgarh         | 6                        |
| Chittorgarh        | 32                       |

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