Combating silicosis in India: from compensation to prevention

Silicosis is a fibrotic lung disease with no curative remedy available. Largely affecting those in the vicinity of industrial sites, this branch of pneumoconiosis is one of the most pervasive occupational health hazards. Despite its ancient origins, little progress had been made towards devising a cohesive strategy to combat silicosis. However, at the turn of the 21st century, instrumentalities of the state as well as civil society began to gradually uncover the wide dragnet this disease had cast over unsuspecting workers. Demographically, silicosis patients comprise of unregistered, socio­economically vulnerable labourers in desperate need of state support. In the last decade, institutional response to combat silicosis has by and large remained limited to provision of compensation for silicosis patients. Through this paper, we seek to elaborate on how efforts must now evolve further towards establishing preventive mechanisms that limit the prevalence of silicosis.