Human Rights
Ensuring the rights of unorganized labourers and vulnerable communities.
Human Rights
HEDCON has been working with more than 200,000 unorganized labourers in four mineworker areas having sand stone, marble, clay, salt and granite mines, in western Rajasthan. HEDCON with its network organizations has been able to create 5 mineworkers unions which has membership of more than 25 thousand mineworkers. Some of the major achievements in ensuring the rights of mine workers are as follows:
Silicosis
Silicosis is an occupational lung disease caused as a result of unsafe mining by mineworkers in mines. It has been proven that more than 40% of the mineworkers with prolonged exposure to silica dust get affected by the disease. HEDCON has been working with its network organizations, unions and mineworkers on its recognition, compensation and prevention for last 10 years. Following steps have been taken so far:
Recognition
With continuous medical testing and symptoms, the disease was generally recognized as tuberculosis or asthma. HEDCON raised awareness which helped in ensuring that disease is correctly recognized.
Pneumoconiosis Board Re-formation
To get compensation for the occupational disease Silicosis, mine workers requires certificates from Pneumoconiosis board which was non functional. HEDCON submitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which formed the basis for reformation of the board for certification of the disease. However, the rules were not formed and board couldn't certify any mine worker for disease till 2009.
Examination of Mineworkers
Based on the physical symptoms, HEDCON undertook a mass drive for examination of mineworkers for identification of silicosis by private doctors. In two years 2010-2012, it created files of about 1400 mineworkers with silicosis and submitted their cases to labour court. Which with time all got rejected because they were not certified by the Pneumoconiosis board and no mineworker could prove that they have worked in a particular mine for a long time. However, this was the first time when labour court had accepted any case for compensation for silicosis.
Writ Petitions
Based on analysis from its work on silicosis, HEDCON submitted a writ to SHRC which resulted in an instruction to state government for ensuring free and easily accessible examination of the disease and diagnosis of patients for treatment and compensation.
District Level Board for Certification
Through strong advocacy and constant demand, the health department resulted in constitution of Pneumoconiosis board at district level in 2013. This was a big relief for grieving mine workers as they could go to the nearby hospital and start the process of certification and compensation.
Support to Mineworkers for Compensation
Government of Rajasthan took a landmark decision of providing compensation of INR 100,000 for affected alive and an amount of INR 300,000 for deceased certified silicosis patients. HEDCON continues to identify silicosis patients, support them in certification and ensuring that they receive their due compensation. Till now, over 28014 patients examined by the board and 9364 patients certified. 1932 patients supported by HEDCON for certification and compensation. HEDCON is also a member of district's level committee on silicosis constituted under the chairpersonship of District collector which regularly holds meeting for identification of issues, the solutions and compensation and prevention of the disease.
Prevention
For prevention of disease, HEDCON has worked with mine owners, suggested visits of Labour Enforcement Officer (LEO) for checking dry drilling, and have also held meetings with expert units for fair stone purchase.
Child Labor
Research on child labor in mines, Tales of woe (2004), sensitized National Human Right Commission (NHRC) and government of Rajasthan to take up the issue seriously. The government announced decision on child labor in the Army and constituted a task force strictly in 2005.
First Aid
Accidents are common in mines and due to poor availability of health facilities one first aid, accidents result in casualties. HEDCON believes that such casualties can be minimized by providing proper safety guidelines to workers and availability of first aid in case of an accident. HEDCON has organized 150 first aid training workshops and trained 5000 mine workers in the mines. Similarly, HEDCON sensitized more than 20% mine owners to ensure that first aid box is available in the mine.
Skill Building and Livelihoods
HEDCON has organized 8 trainings and was successful to train 180 mineworkers under its skill development trade skills, they now all got the mastery in ungotting jobs, but can find its access to loans for starting their business.