Researchers want beedi rolling declared hazardous process

WHO calls for more studies on the impact on health, economy of workers

A group of researches has urged the government to declare beedi rolling a hazardous process and recommended alternative sources of livelihood for them.

The call follows review of 95 studies conducted on occupational health hazards of beedi workers in the country.

Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health analysed studies from Karnataka; Tamil Nadu; West Bengal and Maharashtra.

In India 71.8 million adults smoke beedi and the cottage industry sector employs women mostly.

The studies suggest around 87% of workers reported symptoms such as pain in the back, shoulder, neck, knee, joints, spondylitis, tiredness and body ache. Workers had musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, skin, cardiovascular, oral and eye diseases.

The women workers had more miscarriages and abortions; lower fertility rate; and higher uterine problems. Pregnant women engaged in beedi rolling were 1.4 times more likely to be anaemic; three times at higher risk for pregnancy induced hypertension and 2.5 times increased risk of foetal growth restriction.

Newborns of mothers involved in the work were at 1.9 times higher risk for low birth weight and 1.7 times at higher risk for smaller for gestational age. Often young children accompanied and helped their mothers at work, the studies had revealed. And as much as 87% of children had headache and body pain besides respiratory issues such as cough, TB, asthma, breathlessness and giddiness.