JUDGMENT

K. RAMASWAMY, J. :—Occupational accidents and diseases remain the most appealing human tragedy of modern industry and one of its most serious forms of economic waste. Occupational health hazard and diseases to the workmen employed in asbestos industries are of our concern in this writ petition field under Article 32 of the Constitution by way of public interest litigation at the behest of the petitioner, an accredited organisation. At the inception of filing the writ petition in the year 1986, though it highlighted the lacuna in diverse provisions of law applicable to the asbestos industry, due to orders of this court passed from time to time, though wide gaps have been bridged by subordinate legislation, yet lot more need to be done, So the petitioner seeks to fill in the yearning gaps and remedial measures for the protection of the health of the workers engaged in mines and asbestos industries with adequate mechanism for and diagnosis and control of the silent killer diseases asbestosis with amended prayers as under:-

(a) Directions to all the industries and the official- respondent to maintain compulsorily and keep preserved health records of each workman for a period of