Lok Sabha Question No. 465 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-24
Subject: Health Condition of People in Mining and Industrial Zones
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Chandrani Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 465

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2023

## HEALTH CONDITION OF PEOPLE IN MINING AND INDUSTRIAL

ZONES

465.  MS. CHANDRANI MURMU:

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

- (a)whether the Government has conducted any study to determine the health condition of people working in mining and industrial zones;
- (b)if so, the details thereof;
- (c)if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)whether the Government proposes to make adequate arrangement to improve the medical facilities particularly in the mining areas of Odisha where people suffer from various ailments connected to mining; and

(e)if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) to (c): National  Institute  of  Miners'  Health  (NIMH),  Nagpur  in collaboration  with  Directorate  General  of  Mines  Safety  (DGMS),  a subordinate office of Ministry of Labour & Employment conducted a survey under the project 'Multi Centric Study of Dust Related Disease in Stone Mines and Development of Sustainable Preventive Programme' to detect cases of silicosis in the stone mines during 2015-2016  to  2017-2018.  During  the  project,  2537  persons  were examined out of which 136 cases of silicosis were detected.

Further,  DGMS  with the help of State  Government Authorities and mines management also carried out surveys to detect cases of silicosis in the stone mines and other metal mines in various states during calendar year 2017 to 2022. During the survey, 14908 persons  were  examined,  12657  X-ray  films  were  evaluated  out  of which 287 cases of silicosis were detected.

(d) to (e): Following provisions have been made in Mines Act 1952 and rules and regulations framed thereunder:(i) Health status of workers employed in a mine shall be monitored / checked by conducting initial medical examination at the time of first employment and periodical medical examination at every five years intervals in accordance with the Rule 29B of Mines Rules, 1955.  In case of persons employed in Asbestos Mines, intervals of Periodical Medical Examination is 3 years. (ii) Periodic medical examination or the chest x- ray examination or both, shall be conducted at more frequent intervals if the examining authority deems it necessary to confirm a suspected case of a dust related disease. (iii)  As per provisions of the Section 25 of the Mines Act 1952, if any person  employed  in  the  mines  contracts  any  notified  disease,  the Owner, Agent or Manager of the Mine shall send notice to DGMS in appropriate form. However no such case has been reported to DGMS from the state of Odisha during the last three years. (iv)  As per the section 9A of the Mines Act 1952, the Chief Inspector or  an  Inspector  or  other  officer  authorized  in  this  behalf  may undertake the safety and occupational health survey in a mine  to identify the persons with any of the occupational diseases. (v)    If  any  person  who  is  found  medically  unfit  in  a  safety  and occupational  health  survey  undertaken  as  per  provisions  of  sub section 2 of section 9 A of the Mines Act 1952, he shall be entitled to undergo  medical  treatment  at  the  cost  of  the  owner,  agent  and manager with full wages during the period of such treatment.

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