Bharatpur, Feb. 25 -- Two teams of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from Jaipur and Bhopal have arrived in the state to investigate the 414 deaths reportedly caused by silicosis in Dausa district in the last three years, officials said. The CPCB teams, which arrived on Monday, will remain in the district till Wednesday to conduct a detailed survey. The findings will be submitted to the central government, they added. Silicosis is an incurable, progressive lung disease caused by inhaling, typically over years, fine particles of crystalline silica dust, leading to severe inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) of lung tissue. It is primarily an occupational disease affecting workers in construction, mining, and stone cutting. Congress MP from Dausa, Murari Lal Meena, raised the issue in the Lok Sabha on December 12, 2025, highlighting the rising number of deaths among labourers due to silicosis. According to government registration data, 414 people have died due to silicosis in the last three years, while 1,315 were diagnosed with the disease out of 10,599 people registered for silicosis examinations. After the matter was raised in the Lok Sabha, the Secretariat forwarded a letter on January 5 to the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change for necessary action. Meena said the deaths were primarily caused by dust emissions from stone and marble industries in Dausa district and other parts of the state. "In the last three years alone, 414 people have died due to silicosis, while many others continue to suffer from the disease," he said. He added that silicosis patients should receive urgent treatment, similar to the medical attention provided during the Covid-19 pandemic. Several patients are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals. Apart from Dausa, cases of silicosis have been reported in mining areas of Bharatpur, Karauli, Dholpur and Jodhpur districts. In Bharatpur district, affected patients have been identified in the Rupwas, Bayana and Weir subdivisions. Under the state government's relief scheme, certified silicosis patients are eligible for financial assistance of Rs.5 lakh - Rs.3 lakh during their lifetime and Rs.2 lakh to their family after death. Patients also receive a monthly pension of Rs.1,500. However, allegations have surfaced that some brokers, including doctors and radiographers, were involved in issuing certificates in exchange for bribes. Earlier, only TB Hospital was authorised to issue silicosis certificates, but the government later allowed district hospitals to do so as well. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has expressed concern over the condition of silicosis patients after visiting Dausa District Hospital recently. In a post on social media, Gehlot said he met several silicosis-affected patients during his visit and was deeply distressed after hearing about their suffering. He stated that patients complained that despite being diagnosed with silicosis, they were not being officially recognised as "victims," and their benefit cards had been blocked, preventing them from accessing treatment and financial assistance. Highlighting measures taken during the previous Congress government, Gehlot said that in 2013, financial assistance ranging from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.3 lakh was introduced after recognising silicosis as a serious disease. In 2019, a dedicated Silicosis Policy was brought in, increasing assistance to Rs.5 lakh - Rs.3 lakh for rehabilitation and Rs.2 lakh to the family in case of death - while also linking beneficiaries to pension and Palanhar schemes....