They all work at Gujarat's only basic chromium sulphate factory, Hema Chemicals, which employs over 250 workers. Continuous exposure to hazardous emissions has punctured their noses. Factory owner Mahendra Patel admits: ``Yes, our workers have nasal holes, but even vehicular pollution can cause that; and you know, some workers have made holes themselves.''

Punctured noses is only one of the several medical problems afflicting the workers of this unit which manufactures about 6,000 kg basic chromium sulphate, over 2,000 kg sodium bichromate and as much sodium sulphate every day under hazardous conditions, resembling a pressured container waiting to explode.

Ram Kailash Saroj has a rottingright toe, awaiting amputation. Many others have ulcers elsewhere. At least 27 workers have dermatitis. Shyam, Buddhdev and Ganpat (names changed) have become physical and mental wrecks, and scores of others have weak lungs, affected kidneys, combined with a variety of ailments.

The only ventilation the factory had till a week ago was the main gate. But it is closed now -- to enforce discipline, according to factory owner Patel. The workers used to file out of the gate to breathe some fresh air when the emissions became too much to bear. Now they do not have even this luxury.

``There is absolutely no ventilation and no room for natural light; mercury lights glow 24 hours,'' says Kunwarji Kilotara, who has nasal perforation, and was suspended for raising his voice, among other things. Patel, however, asks: ``Who says there's no ventilation? They work under an open sky.'' But one visit is enough to expose his claim.

Ventilation, bathrooms, fire exits and safety caps are conspicuous by their absence. ButPatel says there were two bathrooms. ``Now I will be building five-star bathrooms for workers. And safety caps are not required,'' he says. Till some months ago, the workers used their handkerchiefs for masks, ``but now we have given nose-masks to them,'' Patel says, adding ``we will give everything they ask for.''

Relentless demands by workers, since 1990, forced Dr S K Verma, the certifying surgeon at the Vadodara Factories Inspectorate, to conduct a health check-up here. The check-up went on for an year, before a report came out recently. Dr Verma found 43 cases of nasal septum perforation and 27 of dermatitis. Many workers are yet to have a check-up.

Under the Factories Act, it is mandatory for hazardous units to maintain proper health histories, based on regular check-ups, and have a medical officer. Workers have to be informed of the perils of the material and machinery they handle. Hema Chemicals never had a full-time medical officer, nor regular check-ups. Obviously, there are no medicalhistories.

But Patel claims the factory hired a medical officer eight months back, ``who comes regularly to examine the workers'', factory manager Gautam Patel says, ``Medical officer...well...I do not think we have one. But I am not sure, I joined only 15-20 days ago. Maybe, he came in my absence.''

Radheshyam Kahar, Kilotara, Parasnath Saroj, Pandit G Chitte and others with nasal perforations have not seen any medical officer. ``Why did we have to struggle for so many years just for a check-up, if the factory had employed a full-time medical officer?'' asks Jagdish Biniwale of Vadodara Kamdar Union. The Factories Act also requires that the ``Threshold Limit Value'' (TLV) of the emissions be measured regularly to ensure safety. This was never done. Over a year ago, the Factories Inspectorate asked its Industrial Hygiene Laboratory to measure the TLV. The report is yet to come.

There are other problems as well. Sources say the Inspectorate had only one doctor for over one lakh workers in over 3,000units in and around Vadodara. The local ESIS Hospital does have an occupational health centre, which was opened a little over a year ago but a senior doctor says very few industries adhere to the law calling for regular check-ups.

After Dr Verma's report, Hema Chemicals submitted details of the workers to the ESIS hospital but, says Biniwale, ``No worker has yet been declared an occupational hazard case, making him eligible for compensation.'' At ESIS, workers are referred to the general government hospital for treatment, he says. ESIS sources confirm this.

Sources in the Factories Inspectorate say as many as 16 health and related cases are pending against Hema Chemicals in courts.