Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter VIII. - Mines

Collection:: Economics Books

MINES. 115 system is effective, but this is not the case everywhere. When the working face is at a long distance from the shaft, the problem of ventilation be- comes difficult and requires all the more attention. One instance of the lack of such attention was in the mines worked by the East Indian Railway at Giridih, and this is probably in part responsible for the unsatisfactory physical condition of the miners employed there. In some of the smaller mines, also, ventilation is adequate. Unhealthy condi- tions affect the health of the worker, not only directly but also indirectly, by diminishing his output and consequently his income. Sanitation. As regards sanitation, attempts have been made to improve conditions underground, but as the percentage of infection with hook- worm is a reliable guide to the degree of sanitary control, the evidence given to us in this connection by the Jharia Mines Board of Health is instructive. It appears to be agreed that probably over 90%, of the adult labourers in this area are infected, although illness is produced only in a very small proportion of cases. An Investigation in the Asansol area showed that 839%, of the mines examined were infected with hook- worm larvee, that 73%, of the male underground workers were infected as compared with 54% of the surface labourers, and that, although hookworm infection is widespread in the collieries, hookworm disease is apparently altogether absent. It is evident that many of the mines are constantly being contaminated and that sanitary conditions underground call for improvement. As most of the galleries are spacious, there should be little difficulty in providing bucket latrines at convenient spots. Although at first it may be difficult to persuade the miners to make use of these conveniences, we have little doubt that in time Improvements could be effected, and the attempt should be made. A small staff of sweepers should be employed to keep the latrines clean and to remove the contents of the buckets to the surface daily for final disposal. Industrial Disease, | We have no evidence to indicate that the miners suffer from the industrial diseases and disabilities met with in other countries. Miners’ nystagmus is also apparently unknown. This is probably due to the fact that it is most unusual to work seams of less than 5 feet in thickness and that the miners are ordinarily able to stand upright at their work. Sources of Labour. The main coalfields lie in or adjacent to areas chiefly inhabited by aboriginal tribes. From these tribes the labour force was first drawn and they still supply the bulk of the workers. A certain proportion of the labour force, consisting mainly of aboriginals, is permanently settled within the coalfields, Many of them were attracted by the grant of land for cultivation, and they live on the colliery property, devoting a part of their time to cultivation. The proportion so settled is higher in the 9

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