Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (SJHSS)
Volume-1 | Issue-04 | 160-171
Original Research Article
Health Expenditure of Home Based Worker & Access to Usable Water & Sanitation: A Case Study of Bidi workers in Purulia of West Bengal
Maniklal Adhikary, Chandrasekhar Hajra
Published : Nov. 23, 2016
Abstract
Bidi rolling is a popular home based work at Purulia. It provides employment for more than two lakhs bidi
workers, particularly in the Purulia west region. Purulia comes under extended part of Chhotonagpur Platue, where
agriculture is not prosperous. Industry is not developed either. Large number of population is dependent on
nonagricultural activities for their survival. Household industries are important employment providers. A descriptive
cross-sectional study has been used to assess the impact of access to sanitation facilities and to safe usable water on the
health expenditure of bidi workers. A total of 124 household containing 663 people were selected from five villages with
highest concentration of Bidi workers of Jhalda II Block. We have used a predesigned, pretested questionnaire for
collection of data to be analysed by appropriate statistical method. Most of the bidi workers were living in poor
environmental and housing conditions. Around 80% of these workers are suffering from water crisis for domestic use
and/or drinking purposes. It was observed that almost 70% of the workers developed occupational health problems as
reported by the male and female bidi workers. Our empirical study shows that occupational health hazards are lessened
by the access to sanitation facilities and to safe usable water among bidi workers.