The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Jharkhand chief secretary and the state health department among others for an action taken report over allegations of denial of proper medical treatment to silicosis-affected workers in East Singhbhum district of the state.

Silicosis is a long-term lung disease caused by inhaling large amounts of crystalline silica dust, usually over many years.

The directive issued by the NHRC on Tuesday is based on a complaint by general secretary of an NGO — Occupational Safety and Health Association of Jharkhand (OSHAJ) — Samit Kumar Carr earlier this month concerning the denial of proper medical treatment to Jagannath Pator and Kunal Kumar Singh who are stated to be silicosis-affected workers from Dhalbhumgarh block of East Singhbhum district.

The complainant has also alleged fudging of medical records by doctors of a government medical college (MGM Medical College Hospital Jamshedpur in Jharkhand ) to project the victims as patients of pneumoconiosis/pulmonary kochs/occupational lung disease rather than silicosis. Doctors at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science, Ranchi, also did not prescribe silicosis as the disease despite evidence to deny the victims and others the benefits of the relief and rehabilitation policy of silicosis by the Jharkhand government.

The complainant has further alleged that the relief and rehabilitation policy which has been formulated by the government for the silicosis-affected workers and their families is not at par with that of the Haryana government’s model as directed by the NHRC in a 2018 case.

The complainant has given details of other silicosis-affected patients/victims for whom the benefits of the relief have been denied by the district administration and has sought intervention of the NHRC.

The NHRC has directed the chief secretary, principal secretary health, secretary Jharkhand human rights commission, East Singhbhum district magistrate for an action taken report within four weeks from the issuance of the directive.

It also directed the medical superintendent of MGM Medical College and Hospital Jamshedpur, to ensure proper medical treatment to Pator and Singh.

“Both Jagannath Pator and Kunal Kumar Singh are among 162 (list sent to NHRC) workers who are suffering from silicosis after complaining of breathing trouble. These workers are working in a ramming mass industry in Dhalbhumgarh. But the medical authorities in Jamshedpur and Ranchi are not mentioning silicosis in the treatment report which is denying the workers benefit of compensation from the government,” said Carr. He claimed that for silicosis there is a compensation of Rs 4 lakh in case of death and Rs 1 lakh while alive.

“The Jharkhand government is not following either the Haryana government or the Bengal government’s pension scheme for silicosis patients,” claimed Carr.