Dealing with a writ petition filed in year 2000 seeking action against the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) and for payment of compensation to families of the deceased and sick workers employed in quartz mines at Elkatta and Chowlapally villages in Mahabubnagar district, the AP High Court on Thursday granted liberty to the petitioners to bring in any other facts which are related to mining operations and on behalf of the sufferers. It has decided to take up the above matter as a PIL (public interest litigation) and adjourned the case for further hearing to Sept 24.
After hearing the arguments, acting Chief Justice P C Ghose said that he would treat the matter as a PIL for the benefit of weaker sections of the society who have already suffered a lot. Although mining operations have stopped in the area in question, poor workers and their families had suffered due to operation of mines.
Justice Ghose has directed the court registry to place the matter before a division bench headed by him, and also impleaded the member-secretary of the AP state legal services authority, Hyderabad, as a party in the matter to assist the court.
Petitioners P Surya Naik and others of Mahbubnagar district sought that the director general of mines safety, regional labour commissioner (Central) and the state chief secretary take action against the managing director of APMDC for failure to provide any protective measures against silica dust to the 400 workers employed in running the quartz mines. They wanted the APMDC to take full responsibility for treatment and wellbeing of workers affected by silicosis and silico-tuberculosis. They requested the court to direct the authorities concerned for payment of compensation of Rs 2 lakh to each family of the deceased workers and Rs 1 lakh each to sick workers.
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