Lung disease deaths haunt Hunan towns
- By Zhang Rui
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, September 11, 2013
On June 15 2009, more than 100 workers conflicted with the head of the hospital and the Shenzhen and Leiyang governments paid attention by setting up a crisis team to deal with the issue.
In August that year, the Shenzhen government passed a resolution, giving 119 migrant workers and families compensation of between 70,000 (US$11,440) and 299,800 yuan (US$48,992).
Cao Bin's condition was the worst and as he was under contract, he received compensation of 299,800 yuan, equivalent to 30 years of his salary as a driller.
Some villagers used their compensation money to build houses, engage in business or even gamble, Cao said.
Dai Chun, a associate professor with a cadre school under Hunan Federation of Trade Unions, said that the workers were under life-long pressure so they never stopped working even when they were diagnosed with the disease, which simply worsened their condition.
 |
|
Cao Bin, a former digger and pneumoconiosis patient, shows his work ID at home in Daozi Township, Leiyang City, Hunan Province, August 26, 2013. [Photo: Beijing News / China.org.cn] |
Li Guoqiang, an official of Daozi Township, said that most patients are between 40-50 years old and are the pillars of their families. After the disease occured, many families became bankrupt, despite the compensation, due to the cost of the treatment.
In Shuangxi Village, there are 23 patients in 48 households, 16 have died so far. It is known as "Widow Village" because of all the men who have died.
The town was once poor, and then got rich, and has now sunk into poverty again.
The only comforting thing for the village now is that its young men are no longer working as drill workers.
As Leiyang's migrant workers quit the business, 600 kilometers away, migrant workers from Sangzhi County, Hunan Province took over the job. According to records, about 300 people have been drill workers in Shenzhen.
"Daozi Township's present could be our future," said Gu Longguo, from Sangzhi County, who has worked as a driller since 2006.
"But this is the best job I could get," he said. "Now our masks are much thicker than before, not so much dust will enter my lungs."
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)