States callous in dealing with silicosis: NHRC

New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) National Human Rights Commission chairman K.G. Balakrishnan Friday expressed concern over the callousness of the states in dealing with the problems of people affected with silicosis.

"State governments are not sympathetic to the problems of people affected with silicosis," Balakrishnan said here.

"The commission has taken a serious view of the callous attitude of the states in dealing with the problem of silicosis," he said at the National Conference on Silicosis.

Silicosis is a fibrotic disorder caused by inhalation, retention and pulmonary reaction to crystalline silica in the dust.

He said it was difficult for the commission to pursue the case of compensation of affected people as the central government has not done a survey on silicosis victims which has led to the problem of authentic data.

He said lakhs of workers might have caught silicosis while working in quarries, stone crushing units and mines.

"There should be a cess on mining and other such activities which exploit the natural resources so that money so collected could be spent on the welfare of the workers engaged in such vocation," he added.