As Hard as Cement

Jugdev Rai was wrestler, “Kusti Player” in his youth. He is 63 now. He was very strong and he is still strong now. But since 16 years he is using his strength to generate income for his family by loading and unloading cements in Kathmandu. His eldest son, Rakesh Rai, was 4 when he started to work with cement. Rakesh has also joined his hand with his father in the cement work since three months. Rakesh is saving money for himself that he is earning in the month of this Ashad. He has planned to “Bol Bom” travel next months with his friend. Rakes has plan to go to Arab countries for better income. There is not any specific data on the status of people who load and unload cement in Kathmandu Valley.

 

The demand of cement is increasing more and more as the rapid constriction of house around the Ring Road of Kathmandu Valley is going on. This has generated opportunity for the laborers who are ready to do the dusty job of loading and unloading cement, but most of these laborers are not practicing any safety measures to be safe from the problem that can arise from the dust of cement. Exposure to cement dust can cause various acute and chronic respiratory diseases including respiratory function impairment.

 

Some studies have shown that cement dust may enter into the systemic circulation and thereby reach the essentially all the organs of body and affects the different tissues including heart, liver, spleen, bone, muscles and hairs and ultimately affecting their micro-structure and physiological performance. There are not any awareness programs to provide information regarding potential toxic effects of cement dust and to minimize the health risks in cement workers. Jagdev Rai, his son Rakesh, Sita Ram Rai , Nareh Mandal, Lali Sharan Yadav and Tilak Magar from Sarlahi district are working as one team. All of them live in one small room near Galfutar. Only Naresh Mandal wear mask during the work. None of them use any safety for their hand. “If we work, we earn money, on Saturdays and Band Days cement shops are close, so there is no income on these days”, says Sita Ram.

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