NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION that the provisions in Factories Act shall take care of health and safety measures for these poor labourers. 6.43 Further, the Commission directed the Chief Secretary, Govt. of Gujarat, to take necessary action to implement the following points:i. Stop work of Agate cutting and polishing etc, in residential areas completely, in the line of Slate Industry in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. ii. Set up a Welfare Board for welfare of Agate workers and levying cess on production, sale and export of Agate on the line of Madhya Pradesh State Government has done for Slate Industries in Mandsaur. iii. Prohibition of electricity connection in residential areas for commercial purposes, especially for Agate policing etc. iv. Any agate cutting unit established in industrial area or otherwise, it should get environmental clearance before starting work. All such units must be monitored on a continuous basis by State Pollution Control Board, after they commence manufacturing. v. Fixation of piece rates by the State for Agate workers which at present are decided arbitrarily by the traders, under Minimum Wages Act and after conducting time/ motion study. 6.44 The Commission, therefore, directed the Chief Secretary, Govt. of Gujarat to take up necessary steps on the above stated issues also and submit action taken report within six weeks. The Commission recommended u/s 18(a)(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, an additional sum of ` 3,00,000 to NOK of each of the 61 confirmed death cases of Silicosis (list attached) who have been paid financial assistance of ` 1,00,000 by the State Government. ` 1,00,000 out of ` 3,00,000 shall be paid in cash and ` 2,00,000 shall be deposited in the Fixed Deposit account in the name of NOK of the deceased person so that the interest can help them to live the life of dignity. 6.45 The Commission also directed the State Government of Gujarat to make provisions for condonation of delay in present scheme for the Silicosis victim. The State should revise its schemes for monetary relief to Agate workers of unorganised sector making it more human rights sensitive. It may use the scheme modelled by the Haryana State Government. Duly revised scheme be sent to the Commission for perusal. The revised scheme shall be given wide publicity so that the victim could avail benefits of the scheme. 6.46 The State Government should create a fund for welfare of Agate workers in the line of the welfare fund created by the Govt. of MP for slate workers in Mandsaur, MP. The State Annual Report 2017-2018 89

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