Jaipur: On International Labour Day that was observed on May 1, Homa Khoma, former asbestos mineworker in Rajasthan succumbed to asbestosis, still waiting for compensation from the government.

With this the total death toll of mine workers who succumbed to asbestosis has reached 23 in Rajasthan.

Homa was first medically examined by the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) in 2007 but his report came out as negative.

Later in June 2009, another independent doctor,Arthur Frankconfirmedthathewas suffering from the diseases along with two other mine workers. This was the first time when asbestosis was confirmed in Rajasthan.

“On thebasisof the reportfrom theindependent doctor, we at the Mine Labour Protection Campaign Trust (MLPC) asked NIOHto re-examinethe affected mineworkers. In 2012 they confirmed and endorsed the report of Dr Frank,” said Rana Sengupta, CEO of MLPC.

On the basis of this report Homa filed a case for compensation under Workmen Compensation Act in February 2012. But he died before he could get justice.

“He worked as a mine worker for Rs 1.5 per day in the 1990s. Living below the poverty line, in a remote hamlet in the Aravallis, hehadeven travelle to NIOH head quarters in Ahmedabad demanding his medical reports,”