Health

When premature death is an occupational hazard: Mine workers in MP’s Panna tradeoff life to earn a living

Silicosis is the leading cause of death among these workers
When premature death is an occupational hazard: Mine workers in MP’s Panna tradeoff life to earn a living
The silica dust gets trapped into the workers’ alveolis — which leads to the inflammation of lungs — a condition known as silicosis.Photographs by Vikas Choudhary
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Unaware that the source of their livelihoods will ultimately cause their untimely death, thousands of underprivileged workers in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna have no option but to perform their daily drudgery.

They carve big pieces of stones into cuboidal blocks that can eventually be transported to far off marble manufacturing industries.

When premature death is an occupational hazard: Mine workers in MP's Panna tradeoff life to earn a living
These workers mostly belong to the most vulnerable sections of the society such as forest-dwelling tribal communities.
Madhya Pradesh
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