Helping Hand Shares the Burden

Sukinda, Chromite mines, Orissa

Women in these mines are employed to undertake activities like cutting, sorting, quarrying, loading and uploading. Constant exposure to dust, pollution and contaminated of water and air causes several health hazards to women mine workers. The women complain of severe health problems. The mines are damp and any accidental ingestion of chromium may cause gastrointestinal bleeding. Tuberculosis and asthma are common ailments. Hexavalent chromium is known to adversely affect women’s health as it is teratogenic, causing birth defects in fetuses, embryo toxic, causes still birth, reduces fertility and is further excreted through breast milk.