NEW DELHI: There is a high incidence of HIV infection among workers at the Alang and Mumbai ship breaking yards, reveals a survey. Alcoholism is also rampant among them.

Quoting the local Bhavnagar blood bank office at Alang, the survey by the International Metalworkers Federation says there are 38 confirmed cases of AIDS while 50 to 55 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases are reported every week.

India is the world's largest ship breaking nation in terms of volume. According to the Basel Convention report of 2003, it is estimated that 38 per cent of ship breaking activities are conducted here, followed by China (25 per cent), Bangladesh (19 per cent), and Pakistan (7 per cent). About 60,000 workers are directly engaged in the ship breaking activity at Alang and Mumbai.

In India, migrant workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and other states are involved in this most hazardous process. There is no legislation directly covering the industry, meaning there is no protection for the workers and very little information is available about their condition. They are among the most vulnerable workers in the country with most of them earning less than Rs. 50 a day. Their work places lack drinking water, protective gear and medical aid. They live in huts without toilets, electricity, weak tin roofs, and improper ventilation, right beside the ship breaking yards. Skin diseases, ringworms, dysentery and anaemia are some of their common health problems.

The survey says that most of the workers at the Mumbai ship breaking yard are married but live without their families.

The rate of minor accidents in Mumbai every month is 15-18 while many are not even reported. About a dozen major cases are reported annually while others are settled with the workers. At Alang and Sosiya in Gujarat, most workers suffer from injuries like burns, cuts and even amputation of limbs. Fatal accidents like death due to explosions and emission of toxic fumes are also reported. Sometimes workers die due to inadequate medical facilities. They also suffer from respiratory disorders.

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