Oppn corners govt on silicosis, asks why certificates were not issued
The disease is more dangerous than cancer and incurable. People are dying. Certificate to patients suffering from silicosis is not provided on time Our seriousness can be gauged from the fact that we constituted the Pneumoconiosis Board, which the previous government could not do in five years
Congress Thursday accused the government of not being serious on the issue of silicosis and claimed that people were dying of the disease as they were not being provided certificate of illness in time.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the assembly, deputy Leader of Opposition Ramesh Meena claimed there were around 40 lakh silicosis patients in 19 districts of Rajasthan. He said the Pneumoconiosis Board was not functional as medical camps were not being held. “The disease is more dangerous than cancer and incurable. People are dying. Certificate to patients suffering from silicosis is not provided on time. In Karauli district, around 900 people are waiting to get certificates,” he said.
In absence of certificates, the patients are not getting financial assistance, Meena said. He charged that the government was not serious about issuing certificates.
Refuting the charge, state health minister Kali Charan Saraf said the government has till date issued 4,200 certificates at district level while 4,974 certificates have been issued by the medical colleges. “Our seriousness on the issue can be gauged from the fact that we constituted the Pneumoconiosis Board, which the previous government could not do in five years,” the minister added. Congress MLA Sukhram Vishnoi demanded that women be allowed to vote to decide ban on liquor.
He demanded that symbols be used on the ballot paper as most of the women are uneducated. “In last one year, the sale of liquor has declined because of awareness,” he added.
He said former MLA Gurusharan Chabbra gave his life demanding liquor ban. “In Bihar and Gujarat, liquor sale was banned after public pressure.”
Home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said the government had constituted a committee on the issue in 2013, which had submitted 15-point recommendation. The recommendations were implemented after consultation with Chabbra, and included reducing the requirement of twothird votes to 51 per cent to close down a shop. Based on this, a shop at Kachchabli (Rajsamand) and Rojda in Amer tehsil of Jaipur were closed.
Women and child development minister Anita Bhadel saud sudden inspections are conducted and samples picked up for laboratory test to ensure nutritious food at anganbadis. She said that efforts were being made to ensure good quality food. In 2016, the department had collected 5,349 food samples. She was replying to a question by Congress’ Sukram Vishnoi during question hour.