Jumma Bhai still goes to the Sandstone mine in budapura Village every day to work a mine that took her husband two decades ago. Today she is joining a group of widows along with her daughters to carve and break sandstone they are among thousands of women whose
husbands died from silicosis a fatal lung disease Juma was left with eight children to raise . She barely scrapes by she and three of her daughters earn just 10 euros per day struggles after the death of my husband at times there was no flover at home to
cook food we used to go to sleep hungry when my daughters grew up I asked them to study but they said mother how will you feed us on your own so they came to work with me Juma says she has a bad headache today but taking time off from work is not an
option.
My husband got sick while working there in budapura unregulated and unsafe minds are thriving they're also killing thousands the lack of health safeguards is a
concern for women working in this industry . just next to the mining site dozens of
women are gathering to get legal advice so they can claim financial compensation from the government the widows have been fighting to get money for years. Gupta is checking documents and registering women's names he and his lawyers are preparing
a list of those who lost their husbands to lung disease.
No Financial penalty they don't care if miners live or die so the government needs to wake up because so many Mine Workers have died and we cannot bear the loss of human life anymore. Outside the village a number of Mine Workers who have fallen ill
are looking for help at this Hospital but there are few doctors and no infrastructure gaura was diagnosed with silicosis two years ago he complains of severe chest pain and breathlessness the doctor examining him says his lungs are completely damaged
hospital every day we see 50 to 60 patients with respiratory problems respiratory problems this is an alarming disease there are a number of stage three cases that have now turned dangerous. Other women work hard without any protection and because there are few robust regulations their lives are at risk just as their husbands lives once were.
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