It is often said that the life of miners looks like a golden egg to the ones who are non-miners but the reality remains behind the miners—the immense sacrifice made by them to help India’s Gross domestic product (GDP). Life in the mine is equal to walking on the edge of death, where you can never count on your life. Affecting the miner’s health but sugarcoating with money and facilities. Not only their faces but their life is also covered in coal dust. It is very evident that the government is paying a lot to compensate the miners, but no one can bid on one’s life.

Benefits or concerns:

In the mining industry, there are unlimited benefits provided to the miners, such as:

• A free apartment with electricity and water supply;
• Free medical check-ups for themselves and their children, spouse, and parents; and
• Financial assistance such as Provident Fund (PF) and Pension and Scholarship schemes.

However, despite these advantages, the risks exceed the benefits.

How it affects the Life:

Coal dust is affecting miners’ health, leading to:

• Lung diseases, such as asthma, and cancer
• Eye and ear problems
• Genetic damage
• Skin conditions.

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), male coal miners experience increased rates of death, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, cancer, and mental health disorders. (click here).

The NLM presented another report stating that coal mine dust causes most miners to suffer from coal mine dust lung disease (CMDLD) (click here).

Additionally, in Indian coal mines, if a working employee dies on duty before retirement, the government or public sector organizations like Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries transfer the job to the deceased’s eldest child or spouse. These organizations implement this policy, known as compassionate appointment. However, the qualifying requirements and implementation may differ with company policies and government legislation. For more details see here.

How I relate to this:

My father, Mr. Biswajit Ghosh, is a miner and currently working as a Mechanical Foreman at South Eastern Coal Field Limited (SECL), Bijuri, Madhya Pradesh (M.P.). Born in West Bengal but voyaged to M.P. during his teenage years to work. In 1989, when he was just 22 years old, he joined SECL without holding a matric degree. A wave of vacancy allowed many people to join mine where many like my father secured the job. He has now completed 34 years of service and has definitely earned a lot, but he has been suffering from hearing loss for more than 10 years. A medical survey has also examined his condition, and at just 56 years old, I feel it is too early for him to suffer from hearing loss.

Speaking about life risk, in the underground coal mine, he met with one accident and had to undergo surgery. The accident crushed the bones in his left palm, and despite surgery, he has not regained full function in his hand.

Throughout his career in mines, many of his colleagues lost their lives, many lost their arms or legs in front of his eyes due to mining blasts.

He says, “No, I’m not working for myself, but for my family- to provide a life where others can witness it like the Golden Egg.”

Life is too short, but living a life where one foot is in heaven (earning all the luxury of life) and another is in hell (suffering from physical pain) can never be a life filled with “meethas.”