People’s Rights & Social Research Centre
 

Advocacy and Awareness:-

Under Awareness generation and Advocacy programme, PRASAR has organised many awareness camps on health, education, Silicosis and the rights of the people living in Delhi, especially in Lalkuan area.

PRASAR has been organising Awareness camps on Occupational health from 1999 onwards and disseminating the knowledge about the occupational health hazards to the workers in the stone crushing and mining units in and around Lalkuan. Afterwards it has become a regular activity of PRASAR. Mine workers are given necessary knowledge about the hazards and the remedy. Even this awareness generation has stepped forward to advocacy and knocked on the doors of legal eagle of India like National Human Rights Commission, High Court of Delhi, and Supreme Court.

It is felt that primary education is a basic need for the children of Lalkuan as they are not being attended by their parents. The parents have to go to the stone quarries and crushing units for earning. It is learnt that at least 1000 odd children have been dropped out from the regular school education and now roaming idle. PRASAR organised its first camp on primary and non formal education in Lalkuan on September 2000. A large numbers of participants, mainly the parents were accumulated there. Later on this became a regular activity of PRASAR. On every year at least two such camps are being organized.

Advocacy, done in last years has resulted in some of the following positive developments:
  • The notice has been issued under Section 85 of the Factories Act 1948 by the States, directed by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that less than 10 labourers are also come under the purview of the Act .

  • National Human Rights Commission has become the co-petitioner in the PIL (PDF Supreme Court’s Notice) of People’s Rights and Social Research Centre (PRASAR) and Others vs. Union of India and others to Supreme Court and taking all required action under their objectives. Like National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended providing immediate medical relief to silicosis victims through the concerned authorities and in case of those persons, who died because of silicosis, may provide for compensation through the concerned authorities.

    14_annexure 12
    NHRC meeting minutes _Chairman NHRC_1-11-2010
    NHRC-Recomendation on Silicosis
    NHRC's Notice_ Compensation for Silicosis Victims-1
    NHRC's Notice_ Compensation for Silicosis Victims-2

  • Supreme Court order: In the PIL of People’s Rights and Social Research Centre (PRASAR) and Others vs. Union of India and others, Supreme Court has mentioned in his first order that Central pollution control board, will give full support to co- petitioner National human rights commission in the silicosis survey regarding silicosis. Ministry of Health and Ministry of labor has also considered extending their support and providing the confirmed name for compensation.

    PDF( SC orders-1 )
    PDF( SC orders-2 )
    PDF( SC orders-5 )
    PDF( S-C orders-1 )
    S_C_ordr_5_3_2009
    Sc order_19 Nov, 2010

  • The Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms. Sheila Dixit convened a meeting in Delhi Secretariat on October 24, 2005 to discuss the prevalence of silicosis in the Lal Kuan area. After talking to all the concerned persons and the victims, the Chief Minister has agreed to the following long-term demands of the people of the area:

    • A multi purpose community centre for the treatment of occupational diseases to be set up at Tejpur near Lal Kuan and a mobile medical van with one doctor, one attendant and one nurse will visit the area four days a week for the treatment of silicosis and other occupational diseases and will distribute free medicines.

    • The Social Welfare Department and Divisional Commissioner’s office have been asked to coordinate a joint intervention for physical survey of the affected people and bring them into Antyodaya scheme which will include granting of pensions for the silicosis victims.

    • The Social Welfare Department and the Health Department will also assist the affected people to improve their skills for alternative livelihood opportunities for the people of Lal Kuan.

    • The Delhi Government has announces a rehabilitation package for silicosis patients of Lal Kuan, New Delhi.A health survey has also been conducted in Lal Kuan by a team constituted by the Government through the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi.

      Silicosis Control Programme Delhi_DHS Document

    • The Government has also agreed to explore the feasibility of compensation to Silicosis victims under the Workmen’s Compensation Act or other Act/Rules and has directed individual workers suffering from Silicosis to file claims for compensation before the Labour Commissioner.

  • Silicosis death in pandichary

    15_annexure 13

  
 
Powered by :- SEM InFotech