Fifty six mine labourers had died of silicosis disease in Rajasthan last year, the state assembly was informed today.
The ruling BJP also said that considering the seriousness of the occupational disease the government has earmarked a fund of Rs 35 cr for its cure. During Zero Hour as a Congress MLA Ramesh Meena raised the untimely death of labourers in most mine areas, the Medical and Health Minister R S Rathore said a District Board committee had organised 111 camps in 2014 and identified 1,504 patients, out of which 56 had died due to silicosis.
It was most unfortunate that the funds allocated for this disease were not fully utilised, and in 2011 Rs 13 cr were left unused, while Rs 11 cr in 2012-13 were unused, Rathore said. About 34 blocks in 20 districts where mining of silica and other minerals were very common, the labourers were afflicted with the diseases of silicosis and pneumonia, the minister said. The minister expressed his serious concern on the problem saying the mobile units which were proposed in preceding years were not running due to non-installation of equipment like Xray machine.
He assured the House that the government would consider to induct a public representative in a three member Pneumoconiosis Board set up in each district of the state to hold regular meetings for suffering labourers.Earlier during Question Hour, the Minister of State for GAD and Motor, Jeetmal Khant and Congress MLA Mahendra Singh Malviya (former Panchayati Raj Minister) created uproar in the House making counter allegations on corruption in previous Ashok Gehlot government.
Malviya alleged that 11-sarpanchs were suspended on fake charges of corruption, while BJP Minister Khant accused the previous Congress government for reporting maximum numbers of corruption cases in Panchayati raj system.
Intervening in the debate, the Minister In charge and Home Minister G C Kataria said every complaint against Sarpanch was examined/probed by the competent authority as per the prevailing laws.
And if required the House can constitute a Committee to take up such case for fair investigation in the complaints received against Sarpanch, he said.
Also Read: Monetary aid reaches silicosis patient six years after death
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