NHRC Intervention on Silicosis Deaths: Prioritizing Occupational Health and Administrative Empathy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recently taken suo motu cognizance of reports highlighting the alarming mortality rates among workers in the stone-crushing and mining sectors due to silicosis. Silicosis is a progressive, incurable lung disease caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica dust, predominantly affecting workers in unorganized sectors like mining, construction, and glass manufacturing. By issuing notices to various state governments, the NHRC has underscored that the persistent occurrence of these deaths constitutes a grave violation of the 'Right to Life' and 'Right to Health' under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The Commission’s intervention focuses on three critical pillars: administrative empathy, strict enforcement of occupational safety standards, and robust compensation frameworks. Despite the existence of the Mines Act and the Factories Act, the implementation of dust-suppression technologies and the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) remain abysmal in many states. Furthermore, the NHRC pointed out that many workers remain unidentified in official records, depriving them and their families of benefits under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme or state-specific relief funds.