AMBH

During the begining of coalmining in Bengal, all the old coalmines belonged to private owners and local people from lower castes and tribes were appointed as labourers in these mines. Sometimes they worked there alongwith their family members. In addition labourers from adjoining provinces like Bihar, U.P,Orissa, M.P etc also migrated to work in these coal mines. Many of these migrating labourers used to go back to their villages during the farming season and come back to work as miners at the end of the farming season. Some of these migrated labourers permanently settled in hutments called ‘Dhaora’s(or Basti’s) built on the adjoining areas around these coal mines. Hutments in these ‘Dhaora’s were small with low roof, poor sunlight and ventilation. there were no arrangements for drinking water and latrines.Outbreak of diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, malaria, small-poxetc often happened there and sometimes these breakouts reached epidemic level. Many of the labourers would die of those diseases and rest of them fled to save themselves. Coal production got severely hampered due to this. Still, in order to earn huge profits, private coalmine owners used to pay the labourers very poorly, did not implement definite duty hours or arrange adequate fooding and lodging facilities for them.

In 1896, Commission of labour recommended that if personal and environmental cleanliness, adequate dwelling places, building latrines, digging wells for drinking water, regular immunisation and medical facilities are made compulsory, health and productivity of the labourers would improve remarkably. In spite of opposition from the private coalmine owners,in 1901, the then Viceroy Lord Curzon introduced laws to increase the pay of the laboures, implementation of fixed duty hours and protection of their self-interest.

In 1912, Govt. of India created separate departments for education and health and promulgated the Bengal Mining Settlement Act 1912 to implement the recommendations of the Labour Commission. As per this act towards the end of 1914, Asansol Mines Board of Health for the coalmines of Asansol-Raniganj area and Jharia Mines Board of Health for the coal mines around Jharia area were formed. The first board meeting of Asansol Mines Board of Health was held in 1915. As the medical science was not as advanced as now, importance was given more on
preventive health. Asansol Mines Board of Health(AMBH), under the leadership of a Chief sanitary officer (equivalent to the Health Officer in current hierarchy), started to make the private coalmine owners implement the above-stated recommendations. Dr J.W.Tomb was the first CSO of Asansol Mines Board of Health. The present ADM bungalow of Asansol(now being renovated as bungalow for DM) was the official residence of CSO in the British era.from this we can get an idea of the status of this post in those days.

On the advise of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, the then Mayor of Calcutta Corporation, a Public Health or Sanitary Circle was formed in all the Police stations(Thana) of Bengal. Asansol Mines Board of Health(AMBH) was given the responsibility of running all the sanitary circles of Asansol- Raniganj area.With Independence and Partition of India(including Bengal), there was a huge spurt in population load in whole of West Bengal including the coal mining area.

As per recommendations of Bhor Committee formed in 1946, a project of establishing a Primary Health Centre(PHC) to cater preventive and curative health in all the Community Development Blocks of the country during the first 5-year plan starting in 1952. Till the 4th 5-year plan, exceptBarakar and Raniganj Health Centres run by the District Board and some National Health Programmes, AMBH had full responsiblity of catering public health services in the coal mining area.

In 1930, in addition to its sanitation and other regular services, AMBH introduced maternity services for the female coalmine labourers and family members of male coalminers by appointing trained dais. Later more of these dais were recruited and they used to provide antenatal, natal and postnatal services to the women at their home. By 1934, five Maternity & Child welfare centres were started. A number of trained Health Visitors and a doctor Lady Superitendant were appointed. They used to provide direct services to the labourer families and also trained local dais.

Gradually in independent India, the Block level based health services began to expand. In each block in addition to the PHC, a number of Subsidiary Health Centres(SHC) were established. Asansol Sub-divisional Hospital and still later Ballavpur Rural Hospital were built. Simultaneously, municipalities were formed in Asansol, Raniganj, Kulti areas, and they started their own sanitary sevices. The Nationalised Coal Companies also started health services for their employees. Thus erosion of the monopoly of AMBH as sole provider of Public Health Services in this coalmining area started.

Having these realities in view, in 1964, amendments of Bengal Mining Settlement Act 1912 were done keeping the basic frame unchanged but making changes in the area of functioning and management structure and introduced as West Bengal Mining Settlement Act, 1964.

In spite of this, Asansol Mines Board of Health carried out conservancy and sanitary work in 33 market(bazaar) areas. It ran 14 Maternity & Child Welfare Centres catering maternity and child immunisation services. More remote areas were provided public health and immunisation
services by Mobile Medical Unit. Many of these services are still in place. Till today AMBH runs an advanced laboratory to test water pollution ( both chemical and bacteriological) at very reasonable price. Malaria Department of AMBH regularly sprays mosquito larvicidal liquids
to control vector borne diseases like Malaria, Filaria, Encephalitis etc.

At one time there were 14 Leprosy OPD clinics run by AMBH, but now awareness and perception of people about this disease has changed a lot. AMBH still runs a Leprosy Hospitalfor treatment of leprosy patients and also for shelter of such patients abandoned by their family members.

Though lack of sufficient trained manpower due to inadequate funds and contraction of the area of activity AMBH services are being hampered severely. But still, there are 8 Medical Officers, 18 Health Assistants and many Group D employees engaged in its services at present.

It cannot be denied that with advancement of medical sciences, like rest of the whole country, available health infrastructure for huge population of this coalmine area are far below their expectation.

In the background of the diversity and wide ambit of modern ideal health infrastructure, in stead of negligence, this century old organisation with vast experience, Asansol Mines Board of Health needs new direction and responsibilities, under constructive and farsighted guidance to play an important complementary role for a long time to come in providing health services to the people of this coalmining area.