February 10, 2008	Sunday	Safar 02, 1429

PESHAWAR, Feb 9: More than 70 per cent workers in the mining sector of the NWFP are victims of various deadly diseases, says a new study lunched here on Saturday. The study -- Investigation into incidence of pneumoconiosis and other related disease among coalmine works of NWFP -- says that the workers had no preventive mechanism against the fatal diseases.

Prof Khan Gul Jadoon, chairman mining department NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, conducted the one-year-study, which was sponsored by the Higher Education Commission.

Sharing his findings with the participants, Dr Jadoon informed that the study was conducted in Chitral and Darra Adamkhel, which shows alarming situation of coal mine workers in terms of health hazards and preventive steps taken by implementing agencies and the government.

According to the professor, 70 per cent of the 200 workers, examined during the study, were found to be patients of pneumoconiosis, a serious lung disease caused by accumulation of coal dust. He said 10 per cent of the workers were seriously ill and unable to work for the rest of their lives.

Poor hygienic conditions, traditional mining practices, no availability of personal protective equipments and odd working hours are the major reasons behind these diseases, he said.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Afridi, associate professor Khyber Medical University, who examined the clinical causes during the study, said that workers at the age of 24 were at high risk of pneumoconiosis. They start working in mines at the age of 17 and lose their working capability at the age of 30 to 32 years.

“This shortest duration of working years adds another problem to the cost on health, which they have to bear for recovering from such fatal diseases such as tuberculosis and asthma,” he added.Dr Jadoon stressed the need to update the law passed in 1923 for the protection of mine workers and make it compatible to the needs of the current situation.

He opined out that law enforcement agencies, research and development institutions and the mining community could work together on proper implementation of the law.