Four poverty-ridden workers die due to silicosis near Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, Jan 6:  Locals allege that four workers have died while working in Shaligram Infrastructure Private Limited due to silicosis in the last few years.

Vishwanath Singh, village head of Dholadih under Potka block of East Singhbhum district, died last month due to silicosis. For the last seven years Vishwanath Singh was working in Shaligram Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.

Local villager Praveen Murmu says that four laborers working in Shaligram Infrastructure Pvt Ltd have died in the last two years. However, due to poverty, they could not get treatment, due to which they died. All the dead were engaged in the work of making white stone powder in the factory.

Local villager Praveen Murmu says that the villagers of Dholadih village have now categorically refused to work in that factory. The village head’s son Lakhinder Singh says that the father died due to silicosis. He was having trouble breathing. Also, he could not digest whatever he used to eat.

The village head’s son Lakhinder Singh also told that in the year 2020, Punta Soren, in the year 2018, Sugi Soren, in the year 2021, Pitoon Soren has also died of this disease. After the death of the earning head of these families, the children are living like orphans.

Poma Soren, daughter of the deceased Sugi Soren, says that we have become orphans after the death of five siblings. The mother died in the year 2018 due to silicosis. So far no compensation has been received from the company.

On the other hand, when Rupesh Pansari, the owner of Shaligram Infrastructure Private Limited Company, was asked about this, he said that the workers have not died due to working in his company. “The workers must have died due to TB disease and the exact cause of death is a matter of investigation.”

On the question of the death of four laborers, including the village head, due to silicosis, ADM law and order Nandkishore Lal said that if a written application is received, strict action will be taken after conducting a high-level inquiry. So far no complaint has been made on behalf of the family of the deceased.