Rajasthan Mining Dust Crisis
Silicosis kills over fifty residents in a Rajasthan village amid severe mining dust
Anonymous
Mining and stone-crushing operations in Rajasthan’s Aravalli region are exposing workers and nearby residents to silica dust, causing fatal silicosis and worsening air pollution. More than 50 people have reportedly died from the disease in Syalodra village alone, including Manjeet, a stone-crushing worker whose family spent much of its savings on treatment. Residents and activists say government assistance and certification procedures are inadequate, with some applicants reporting repeated cancellations after lung X-rays were reviewed by unidentified doctors. A Supreme Court-appointed panel reviewing the Aravallis’ boundaries and environmental protections did not visit Syalodra and other affected villages, raising concerns that the communities’ health crisis will be overlooked. The panel’s report, due November 30, could establish ecological safeguards, but residents remain doubtful that it will bring meaningful relief.
Key Points
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Manjeet’s widow, Manisha, kept large oxygen cylinders in the family’s veranda because her husband needed them to breathe before his death; he had suffered from silicosis for more than three years.
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Residents say silica dust is generated by several mining activities, including drilling, blasting and stone crushing, rather than by crushing operations alone.
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Sanjay, a 43-year-old resident, said silicosis has killed six members of his family, including his brother Manoj, who died in July after working at a stone-crushing unit.
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Residents say they cannot afford to relocate: one resident told the report, “My kids have to live here and breathe the same poisonous air which has killed so many residents.”
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The Supreme Court recently declined to grant the panel a further six-month extension; the report’s original deadline was August 31, while the revised deadline is November 30.
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