Breathing in death: How mining dust in the Aravallis is killing residents
Residents of Rajasthan's Sikar district are suffering from silicosis, a fatal lung disease caused by dust from local stone mining operations. Despite the health crisis, a Supreme Court-appointed panel has reportedly failed to visit the most affected areas to assess the environmental impact.
Why it matters
It exposes the human cost of unregulated mining and the potential failure of oversight committees to address environmental health crises.
Manisha (27), sits with a group of women on a mattress laid out in one corner of the veranda of her house in Syalodra village in Rajasthan’s Sikar district. In the other corner are stacks of large oxygen cylinders that her husband, Manjeet (32), used to breathe until his recent death.
Manjeet was a labourer at a nearby stone crushing unit, and for more than three years he had silicosis, a debilitating, incurable lung disease. It is caused by inhaling silica dust, fine particles that are a by-product of mining operations such as drilling, blasting and stone crushing in the region.
Residents say silicosis has claimed the lives of more than 50 people over the years in Syalodra, which is part of the Aravalli range.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in