Nothing in life is achieved before it be thoroughly attempted. My gray matter is ready to plunge into the world of thoughts !!Yours...??!!
A scribble from my dictionary......
"The Aim of life is Achievement
The Zest of life is Zeal"
"When we step out of our normal world and leave behind us all the usual barriers and prejudices, we tend to become more adventurous" Accept???
"A case study of Indian Bangle makers"
Posted 15th December 2007 at 12:35 AM by RamyaVaradharajan
Updated 3rd February 2008 at 11:54 AM by RamyaVaradharajan
Updated 3rd February 2008 at 11:54 AM by RamyaVaradharajan
Just a simple thought of how our designer and light weight modern bangles are made, is in itself a payment of a grandeur tribute to those workers in Firozabad. Yes, its Firozabad in India that can be attributed as the "Queen" in terms of Glass bangle production.
The metal lead plays a vital role in any kind of bangle making. Here, in this blog, i have organized a simple biological monitoring of exposure of inorganic lead with special reference to women at large.
Duration of exposure to lead during the bangle making process, age, food habits and alcohol intake are the key factors that needs to be kept in mind in the course of this case study (though alcohol intake is 99% restricted to male community in our country). Gender differences also affects the levels of toxicity of lead.
Firozabad has got about 350 registered units and 95% of its population depends on the same for their daily living. Bangles are manufactured along with chandeliers, beads, table lamps and pottery. The very high pot furnace (1600 degree C) leads to heat stroke, dehydration, anemia, head ache and ocular problems.
The workers, irrespective of their mode of work, inhale soot, fumes and dust from dry glass mixture and other chemicals kept in open. Besides occupational exposure and environmental pollution; food, beverages, drinking water and various lead casting products are the common sources of lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning have been mentioned right from 400BC. The Hanging gardens of Babylon, built about 600BC are said to have floors sheathed with sheets of lead soldered together to hold the solid and moisture. Lead mining and smelting began in Virginia in 1921.
Toxicity of lead has been associated with imbalance in "heme synthesis". It can inhibit enzymes associated with heme synthesis. Various manifestations of lead toxicity have been studied through epidemologic investigations (WHO 1995). Among the most harmful are its effects on the developing CNS (Central Nervous System) of fetuses and children.
Gender dependent differences were observed in urine lead concentration of bangle makers. According to available estimates, about 40-50% of all lead production is used to make lead acid batteries. Lead compounds are used in glass wares, ceramics, as well as stabilizers in plastics.
Physiological conditions such as pregnancy, infection or menopause may mobilize lead sequestered in bones. Young of pre-menopausal women release lead more slowly than do boys whereas this distinction is not that significant in men and post menopausal women. Diets deficient in calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorous, protein and vitamin D as well as high fat diets promote lead absorption. However, in male vegetarian adults and children, urine lead concentration was higher than female vegetarians.
8-10 hours of daily work with an insignificant break rules their lives. About 50,000 children are involved in the same. Young fingers shape chandeliers, beads and crockery with dexterity often engaged since the age of seven.
Children sit in crouched positions, working eight hours or more every day, in dark rooms, using kerosene or gas to heat the bangles, staring into a small flame for hours and breathing gas fumes.
http://www.christianchildrensfund.or...t.aspx?id=1159
Check out the link provided for detailed information.
Can we adjudge now, that we have abolished Child Labor? What steps are we going to take to protect innocent lives over the period of time? Is the government really aware of what the situation demands (before allowing legal registrations for such industries)?
Are we not responsible for the future "young India"???
Regards
RamyaVaradharajan
The metal lead plays a vital role in any kind of bangle making. Here, in this blog, i have organized a simple biological monitoring of exposure of inorganic lead with special reference to women at large.
Duration of exposure to lead during the bangle making process, age, food habits and alcohol intake are the key factors that needs to be kept in mind in the course of this case study (though alcohol intake is 99% restricted to male community in our country). Gender differences also affects the levels of toxicity of lead.
Firozabad has got about 350 registered units and 95% of its population depends on the same for their daily living. Bangles are manufactured along with chandeliers, beads, table lamps and pottery. The very high pot furnace (1600 degree C) leads to heat stroke, dehydration, anemia, head ache and ocular problems.
The workers, irrespective of their mode of work, inhale soot, fumes and dust from dry glass mixture and other chemicals kept in open. Besides occupational exposure and environmental pollution; food, beverages, drinking water and various lead casting products are the common sources of lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning have been mentioned right from 400BC. The Hanging gardens of Babylon, built about 600BC are said to have floors sheathed with sheets of lead soldered together to hold the solid and moisture. Lead mining and smelting began in Virginia in 1921.
Toxicity of lead has been associated with imbalance in "heme synthesis". It can inhibit enzymes associated with heme synthesis. Various manifestations of lead toxicity have been studied through epidemologic investigations (WHO 1995). Among the most harmful are its effects on the developing CNS (Central Nervous System) of fetuses and children.
Gender dependent differences were observed in urine lead concentration of bangle makers. According to available estimates, about 40-50% of all lead production is used to make lead acid batteries. Lead compounds are used in glass wares, ceramics, as well as stabilizers in plastics.
Physiological conditions such as pregnancy, infection or menopause may mobilize lead sequestered in bones. Young of pre-menopausal women release lead more slowly than do boys whereas this distinction is not that significant in men and post menopausal women. Diets deficient in calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorous, protein and vitamin D as well as high fat diets promote lead absorption. However, in male vegetarian adults and children, urine lead concentration was higher than female vegetarians.
8-10 hours of daily work with an insignificant break rules their lives. About 50,000 children are involved in the same. Young fingers shape chandeliers, beads and crockery with dexterity often engaged since the age of seven.
Children sit in crouched positions, working eight hours or more every day, in dark rooms, using kerosene or gas to heat the bangles, staring into a small flame for hours and breathing gas fumes.
http://www.christianchildrensfund.or...t.aspx?id=1159
Check out the link provided for detailed information.
Can we adjudge now, that we have abolished Child Labor? What steps are we going to take to protect innocent lives over the period of time? Is the government really aware of what the situation demands (before allowing legal registrations for such industries)?
Are we not responsible for the future "young India"???
Regards
RamyaVaradharajan
Total Comments 2
Comments
 | Hi, Frankly speaking i had never given a thought about the back ground which goes in the making of those beautiful bangles. Yes it is our reposibility for the future India. But i can very clearly say that govt has or will do nothing for it. There are many such issues where legal registrations happen towards legal way of killing. It should start off as an individual attempt to stop these and i am sure lots of like minded people will join the group soon, which can build a haapy India. Regards Sri |
Posted 2nd January 2008 at 08:59 AM by srivatsa  |
| |  Dear most Srivatsa ma'am, Thank you for having dropped in your valuable feedback. Yes, very true. Compared to the outcome or the revenue the industry makes; the health of the workers seem to be relatively less looked upon by the government. I am not so much attracted towards "decorating" myself (if thats what I should call); and hence have never given a thought about the working background. But during my project work, I accidentally had to flip off certain pages of a magazine and was threatened by the statistics that was given based on the same. Then I thought it is a must to bring to notice here in IL. But not much of a feedback I had got to my blog entries. Am happy that one person took notice of the same and sincerely left a feedback!! Thank you once again ma'am. Yes, we need to change something in ourselves if we need to bring a revolution in the world we live in. And am sure that this tiny little effort will lead to a new path!! What say ?? Regards RamyaVaradharajan |
| Posted 2nd February 2008 at 12:06 AM by RamyaVaradharajan |
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