A'bad miners demand for release of 2003 NIOH report on asbestosis

A group of affected mine workers on Monday staged a protest outside the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) over its alleged failure to submit a report on number of mine workers affected by asbestosis. The protest was held under the aegis of the Rajasthan State Mines Labour Union.

Dharmendra Gorana, secretary of the union, alleged that of the 164 asbestosis patients on whom the organisation had allegedly carried out a study, 22 had already died due to the condition. The union is demanding the release of a study that was conducted in 2003 and concluded in 2006 and later a health camp that was carried out by NIOH in June 2011.

NIOH director PK Nag said that the 2003 study was conducted by the National Institute of Miners' Health, Nagpur, and later a report regarding the same was also given to all parties concerned. As for the June 2011 health camp, 87 people were examined.  "We have the individual report of each person who was examined at the camp. But it needs to be collated before the data can be given. It is being done but I can't give a time frame by which the final report will be released, as it is made by an expert committee,” said Nag.