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in western Indian state RajasthanEntire communities of women have been widowed by silicosis, a fatal lung disease linked to the area’s expanding stone-mining industry.
Quarry workers are exposed to silica dust, a mineral that is abundant in sandstone. When inhaled, it can settle in the lungs and cause irreversible damage. There is currently no known cure for silicosis.
independent urdu Reports on the rise of so-called “widows’ villages” in Rajasthan, where many women are forced to work in the same mines that took the lives of their husbands to support their families. Some of them get silicosis themselves.
Between 2018 and January 2023, there were 31,869 confirmed cases of silicosis in Rajasthan, but experts estimate the figure to be much higher because many sufferers are not tested frequently.
Although the state of Rajasthan launched a program of financial assistance for silicosis patients and widows in 2019, some victims have reported independent urdu That they haven’t found anything yet.
Translated by Tooba Khokharreviewed by celine asaf