TIMES NEWS NETWORK 

Jaipur: There is fresh hope for the kin of the victims of silicosis in Jodhpur.Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday met a delegation representing the victims and assured to take necessary steps to ensure justice to them.
According to Rana Sengupta,managing trustee of Mine Labour Protection Campaign (MLPC),We had expressed our desire to meet the chief minister on his arrival here.The chief minister gave us time and wanted to know what was it that we wanted more when there was already a provision in the budget for Rs 25 crore for mine workers.
Sengupta clarified that the provisions in the budget was different from what their demands were.
Our demands are simple and same as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has already ordered.The commission had ordered payment of compensation to the 22 workers who died due to silicosis.But since the time commission had issued the orders,six more persons have died out of the 54 persons who were diagnosed with the disease, he said.
It is they who need to be paid a compensation of Rs 3 lakh each as has been done as per the NHRC order in the neighbouring state of Gujarat.The earlier sum which was paid by the state was just a relief and paid out of the widows pension and not a compensation.We clarified the matter to the CMO when we were contacted later, Sengupta said.
The NHRC had done a survey of certain areas in Jodhpur and had come out with a list of people who had died due to the disease and a separate list of people who were afflicted with the disease.These people were later ordered to be paid a compensation amount.
Meanwhile,the relay hunger strike of the kin of silicosis victims along with some of those afflicted with the disease continued in front of the collectorate for the ninth day.Doctors from the government hospital had come for a check up of some of them.Four persons were admitted to the hospital, Sengupta said.
Earlier,12 persons have been admitted to the hospital from the agitation spot following ill health.