PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF WOMEN LABORERS ENGAGED IN …
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34 PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF WOMEN LABORERS ENGAGED IN MANUAL PADDY TRANSPLANTING ACTIVITY IN ALLAHABAD REGION OF UTTER PRADESH Razia Parvez , A.K.A. Lawrence and Swarn Lata ABSTRACT Paddy Transplanting is very mind-numbing work mostly done by women workers during Kharif season and by 2020 there would be 50 percent women against 42 percent at presents (S. Pradhan and S.K. Mohanty 2014). Manual paddy transplanting consume a lot of energy, time and it is full of exhaustion, but the poor socio-economic of the women does not allow them to adopt power operated transplanter. The objective of the study was to find out the physical problems of women laborers while engaged in paddy transplanting activity. Total fifty one women were selected for the study. They were aged between 20-60 years. A set of Interview schedule was designed and body map used to identify women problems in paddy transplanting activity. The findings shows that the cent percent farm women experienced fatigue due to continuously repeated standing and bending postures, this change of postures was within 40 to 50 seconds and also felt pain in joint in all over the body parts; no one reported the pain in one single joint in body. The 54.9 percent women reported light pain due to scratches and 45.1 percent farm women reported moderate pain in thumb, wrist joint and slight scratches during paddy transplanting. All the farm women' skin got wrinkled and became white during paddy transplanting as their hands were in the water throughout the day. The women also reported the severe pain in nights. Thus it is concluded that the paddy transplanting was proved as the most drudgery prone activity by the sample women of Allahabad city. Thus it is recommended that to the women laborers take a rest at every 30 minutes at least for five minutes. Keyword: Paddy Transplanting, Pain, Repetitive, Women, Fatigue, Posture. INTRODUCTION Associate Professor/PI, Pro VC Academics/ Co-PI, J.R.F. Department of Family Resources Management, Ethelind College of Home Science, SHUATS, Allahabad (U.P.) India, 211007 Manual rice transplanting is a task demanding high labour and directly associated with human drudgery. High labour demand during peak transplanting period adversely affects the timeliness of this operation, thereby reducing crop yield. The purpose of this study was to assess the physical problems of women labourers during manual paddy transplanting activity. Paddy Transplanting is very mind-numbing work mostly done by women workers during Kharif season and by 2020 there would be 50 percent women against 42 percent at presents (S. Pradhan and S.K. Mohanty 2014). Physical transplanting consume a lot of energy and time full of exhaustion, but the poor socio-economic of the women does not allow them to adopt power operated transplanter. The objective of the study was to find out physical problems of women laborers s while engaged in paddy transplanting activity. Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world as it is the most important staple food. In India, about three fourth of the population are dependent on rice. The area under rice cultivation is about 44.79 million ha, the largest in the world. (Singh 2009). There are basically two types of rice transplanting, that is, manual transplanting and machine transplanting. Manual transplanting is tedious, tiresome and labor consuming, because a person has to stand in puddle field and bend for hours for putting seedling into the soil by hand. In Tarai region, transplanting is accomplished mainly by manual method. Manual transplanting is one of the labor intensive operation comprising of nursery raising, uprooting of the seedling and transplanting them in the main field, with total labor requirement of about 280-350 man- hours/ ha. Some of the posture which was taken by them was very harmful. But they were compelled to adopt those postures during work for a long time. During transplanting the workers adopt strongly bent posture in the muddy field for a long time. In all the tasks of rice cultivation are repetitive in nature. Repetitive may be related to MSD. The workers change their posture very frequently and suffered from musculoskeletal disorder during performing their jobs) Kar and Dhara 2007. High labor demand during peak transplanting period adversely affects the timeliness of this operation, thereby reducing crop yield. These disorders have caused a considerable human suffering and are also economically very costly, because of reduced working capacity and lessoned production. High incidence rate for WMSDs of the upper extremities have been reported for workers in office work, manufacturing and agriculture which includes numerous material handling occupation in various factories (Faucet et al. 2002). JUSTIFICATION The women perform the maximum farm operations thereby contributing a lot towards the uplifitment of the physical problems, accelerating the pace of rural development rural women have been intensively involved in agriculture and its allied fields, paddy transplanting activity is done by women which is a very tedious and drudgery prone activity and looks to various problems on the basis of above strong justification the following objectives has been taken. The Allahabad Farmer, Vol. LXXIII, No. 4, October - December, 2017 Received 21-04-2016 Accepted 06-12-2017
Transcript of PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF WOMEN LABORERS ENGAGED IN …
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PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF WOMEN LABORERS ENGAGED IN MANUALPADDY TRANSPLANTING ACTIVITY IN ALLAHABAD REGION
OF UTTER PRADESHRazia Parvez, A.K.A. Lawrence and Swarn Lata
ABSTRACTPaddy Transplanting is very mind-numbing work mostly done by women workers during Kharif season and by 2020 there would be 50percent women against 42 percent at presents (S. Pradhan and S.K. Mohanty 2014). Manual paddy transplanting consume a lot of energy,time and it is full of exhaustion, but the poor socio-economic of the women does not allow them to adopt power operated transplanter. Theobjective of the study was to find out the physical problems of women laborers while engaged in paddy transplanting activity. Total fifty onewomen were selected for the study. They were aged between 20-60 years. A set of Interview schedule was designed and body map used toidentify women problems in paddy transplanting activity. The findings shows that the cent percent farm women experienced fatigue dueto continuously repeated standing and bending postures, this change of postures was within 40 to 50 seconds and also felt pain in joint inall over the body parts; no one reported the pain in one single joint in body. The 54.9 percent women reported light pain due to scratchesand 45.1 percent farm women reported moderate pain in thumb, wrist joint and slight scratches during paddy transplanting. All the farmwomen' skin got wrinkled and became white during paddy transplanting as their hands were in the water throughout the day. The womenalso reported the severe pain in nights. Thus it is concluded that the paddy transplanting was proved as the most drudgery prone activityby the sample women of Allahabad city. Thus it is recommended that to the women laborers take a rest at every 30 minutes at least for fiveminutes.
Keyword: Paddy Transplanting, Pain, Repetitive, Women, Fatigue, Posture.
INTRODUCTION
Associate Professor/PI, Pro VC Academics/ Co-PI, J.R.F.Department of Family Resources Management, Ethelind College of Home Science, SHUATS, Allahabad (U.P.) India, 211007
Manual rice transplanting is a task demanding high labour anddirectly associated with human drudgery. High labour demandduring peak transplanting period adversely affects the timelinessof this operation, thereby reducing crop yield. The purpose ofthis study was to assess the physical problems of womenlabourers during manual paddy transplanting activity. PaddyTransplanting is very mind-numbing work mostly done by womenworkers during Kharif season and by 2020 there would be 50percent women against 42 percent at presents (S. Pradhan andS.K. Mohanty 2014). Physical transplanting consume a lot ofenergy and time full of exhaustion, but the poor socio-economicof the women does not allow them to adopt power operatedtransplanter. The objective of the study was to find out physicalproblems of women laborers s while engaged in paddytransplanting activity.
Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal cropsin the world as it is the most important staple food. In India, aboutthree fourth of the population are dependent on rice. The areaunder rice cultivation is about 44.79 million ha, the largest in theworld. (Singh 2009). There are basically two types of ricetransplanting, that is, manual transplanting and machinetransplanting. Manual transplanting is tedious, tiresome and laborconsuming, because a person has to stand in puddle field andbend for hours for putting seedling into the soil by hand. In Tarairegion, transplanting is accomplished mainly by manual method.Manual transplanting is one of the labor intensive operationcomprising of nursery raising, uprooting of the seedling andtransplanting them in the main field, with total labor requirement
of about 280-350 man- hours/ ha. Some of the posture which wastaken by them was very harmful. But they were compelled to adoptthose postures during work for a long time. During transplantingthe workers adopt strongly bent posture in the muddy field for along time. In all the tasks of rice cultivation are repetitive in nature.Repetitive may be related to MSD. The workers change theirposture very frequently and suffered from musculoskeletaldisorder during performing their jobs) Kar and Dhara 2007.
High labor demand during peak transplanting period adverselyaffects the timeliness of this operation, thereby reducing cropyield. These disorders have caused a considerable humansuffering and are also economically very costly, because ofreduced working capacity and lessoned production. Highincidence rate for WMSDs of the upper extremities have beenreported for workers in office work, manufacturing and agriculturewhich includes numerous material handling occupation in variousfactories (Faucet et al. 2002).
JUSTIFICATIONThe women perform the maximum farm operations thereby
contributing a lot towards the uplifitment of the physicalproblems, accelerating the pace of rural development rural womenhave been intensively involved in agriculture and its allied fields,paddy transplanting activity is done by women which is a verytedious and drudgery prone activity and looks to variousproblems on the basis of above strong justification the followingobjectives has been taken.
The Allahabad Farmer, Vol. LXXIII, No. 4, October - December, 2017
Received 21-04-2016Accepted 06-12-2017
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OBJECTIVE To find out the physical problems of women laborers while
engaged in paddy transplanting activity.
MATERIALS AND METHODSThe present study entitled, "Physical Problems of Women
Laborers While Engaged in Paddy Transplanting Activity inAllahabad Region of Utter Pradesh" was undertaken to studyeconomic status of women labour. Total 51 Women labour wereselected fromThree Blocks Namely Chaka Block, Bahadurpur andKaudihar. An interview schedule was used for the data collection.An interview involves face to face contact between the subjectsand interviewer. An interview schedule is flexible, allowing newquestions to be brought up during the interview as a result ofwhat the interviewer says. Keeping this in mind an interviewschedule was prepared with both open and closed endedquestions for women labourers. A Total of 36 questions wereframed, Questions were arranged in sections as per the objectivesof the study. The women labourers share their problems relatedeconomical status during Paddy Transplanting activities.Frequency percentage was used for data interpretation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe result of the present study in accordance with the
objectives has been derived by the use of required methodology.Following are the main heads under which the study has been
discussed.INFORMATION REGARDING SELECTED BLOCK
Table presented below show the block selected for thesurvey.
The presented table-2 shows that from Chaka Block fourvillages were selected namely "Baswar", "Dadri", "Maduka","Murlicot".
The majority 13.7% women laborers were selected from"Maduka" village and 9.8% women laborers selected from"Murlicot", 7.9% women laborers selected from "Baswar",whereas very minimum of 3.9% women laborers were selectedfrom "Dadri".
In Bahadurpur Block three villages were selected namely"Buduruddin", "Lodva", "Yarnva".
The majority o f 15.7% women laborers were selected from"Lodva" village and 11.8% women laborers were selected from"Yarnva" village and very minimum of 5.9% women laborers wereselected from "Buduruddin".
In Kaudihar Block three villages were selected namely "Ahiranka Pura", "Lalbihar", "Umari".
Out of which majority o f 13.7% women laborers were selectedfrom "Ahiran ka pura" and as well as "Umari" village and minimumof 3.9% women laborers were selected from "Lalbihar" village.
The presented table-1 shows that 35.3% women laborerswere selected from Chaka Block, 33.3% women laborers wereselected from Bahadurpur Block and 31.4% women laborers wereselected from Kaudihar Block respectively.
Table: 1- Distribution of women laborers according to theselected block.
Selected Block Women Laborers N=51F %
Chaka 18 35.3Bahadurpur 17 33.3Kaudihar 16 31.4
Table: 2- Distribution of women laborers according to theblock wise selection of the villages.Selected village Block wise Women Laborers N = 51
F %Chaka Block Baswar 4 7.9N=18 Dadri 2 3.9
Maduka 7 13.7Murlicot 5 9.8
Bahadurpur Block Buduruddin 3 5.9N=17 Lodva 8 15.7
Yarnva 6 11.8Kaudihar Block Ahiran ka pura 7 13.7N=16 Lalbihar 2 3.9
Umari 7 13.7
CASTEThe data presented in table - 3 shows that in Chaka Block,
the majority 21.6% women laborers belonged to OBC caste and9.8% laborers belonged to SC cast whereas 3.9% women laborersbelonged to ST caste.
In Bahadurpur Block, the majority 25.5% women laborersbelonged to SC caste and 7.8% women laborers belonged to OBCcaste.
In Kaudhihar block, the majority19.6% women laborersbelonged to OBC caste and minimum of 11.8% women laborersbelonged to SC caste respectively.
The presented table 4: reveals that the women laborers ofChaka Block, the majority 27.5% women laborers were illiterate,2.9% women laborers were high school whereas 1.9% womenlaborers were was educated only up to primary and junior highschool.
The farm women of Bahadurpur Block, the majority 25.5%women laborers were illiterate whereas 5.9% women laborers wereeducated up to primary level and very minimum ie. 1.9% womenlaborers were educated up to high school only.
The farm women of Kaudhihar Block, the majority 23.5% farmwomen were illiterate and 7.8% farm women were educated up toprimary level.
In Chaka Block, the 9.8% women laborers were falling underthe age group of 25-30 years whereas 5.9% women laborers werefalling under the age group of 30-35 years and very minimum ie.1.9% women laborers were falling under the age group of 20-25,40-45, 45-50 and 50.60 years respectively.
Table - 3 : Distribution of women laborers according to theircaste.
The table presented below shows the distribution of womenlaborers according to their caste.
Women laborers N= 51Caste Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)N= 18 N=17 N=16
F % F % F % F %SC 5 9.8 1 3 25.5 6 11.8 2 4 47.06ST 2 3.9 - - - - 2 3.9OBC 1 1 21.6 4 7.8 1 0 19.6 2 5 49.01
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The farm women of Bahadurpur Block, the majority 9.8% farmwomen were falling under the age group of 30-35 year, 35-40 yearsand 5.9% farm women were falling under the age group of 40-45years and whereas very minimum ie. 1.9% farm women werefalling under the age group of 45-50 years
The farm women of Kaudhihar Block, the majority 11.8% farmwomen were falling under the age group of 40-45 years and 5.9%
farm women were falling under the age group of 20-25 years, 25-30 and 45-50 years and 1.9% farm women were falling under theage group of 40-45 years.
The table 5 - in Chaka Block depicts the incidences of painexperienced by women labourers while transplanting activity inTrance Yamuna Area, the majority of moderate pain experiencedie. 13 out of 18, women in lower back whereas 7 women
Table: 4- Distribution of women laborer according to their background information.The table presented below shows the distribution of women laborers according to their education, Age group, family size andfamily type.
Variables Women laborers N=51Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road) Total N= 51N= 18 N=17 N=16F % F % F % F %
Illiterate 14 27.5 13 25.5 12 23.5 39 76.5Primary 1 1.9 3 5.9 4 7.8 8 15.78th class 1 1.9 - - - - 1 1.9High school 2 2.9 1 1.9 - - 3 5.9Inter mediate - - - - - -Age group( in year)20 - 25 1 1.9 2 3.9 3 5.9 6 11.825 - 30 5 9.8 1 1.9 - 6 11.830 - 35 3 5.9 5 9.8 9 17.6 17 33.335 - 40 6 11.8 5 9.8 4 7.8 15 29.440 - 45 1 1.9 3 5.9 - 3 5.945 - 50 1 1.9 1 1.9 - 2 2.950 - 60 1 1.9 - - 1 1.9Family MembersSize 1-5 Small 9 17.6 11 21.6 10 19.6 30 58.8
Medium6-8 9 17.6 6 11.8 6 11.8 21 41.2
membersFamily Nuclear 18 35.3 17 33.3 16 31.4 51 100Type Joint - - -
Table 5: Distribution of women laborers according to their incidences of pain in particular part of the body experienced whileperforming the farm activity.
Incidences of Women Laborers N= 51Pain Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)N= 18 N=17 N=16
Moderate Severe Moderate Severe Moderate SeverePain Pain pain Pain pain Pain
Neck 8 10 15 2 13 3Shoulder 9 9 9 8 9 7Upper back 8 10 8 9 8 8Elbows 8 10 10 7 10 6Low back 13 5 10 7 10 6Wrist/ Hand 7 11 11 6 10 6Hips/ Thighs 8 10 8 9 8 8Knees11 7 9 8 8 8Ankles-feet 9 9 14 3 14 2
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experienced severe pain out of 18, women in wrist and hand. InTrans Ganga the incidences of pain experienced by womenlabourers while transplanting activity in Trans Ganga Area, themajority of women experienced moderate pain ie. 15 out of 18,women in neck whereas 9 women experienced severe pain out of18, women in Upper Back and Hips/ Thighs. In Kanpur Road theincidences of pain experienced by women labourers whiletransplanting activity in Trans Ganga Area, the majority of womenexperienced moderate pain ie. 14 out of 18, women in Ankles-feet whereas 8 women experienced severe pain out of 18, womenin Upper Back, Hips/ Thighs Knees respectively.
The data presented in table 7 revels that cent percent womanlaborers felt fatigue due to adopting bending posture duringpaddy transplanting in each three selected Blocks of Allahabadcity.
The data presented in table 8 revels that the majority centpercent women laborers felt pain in joint in all body parts inselected each three blocks. No one says to felt pain in one jointin all body parts. The cent percent women laborers felt pain inbody as physical problem during transplanting in selected eachthree blocks.
The data presented in table 6 revels that in Chaka Block, themajority 21.6% women laborers were not injured duringtransplanting activity, 7.8% women laborers were injured inpaddy transplanting whereas 5.9% women laborers were injuredduring paddy harvesting. In Bahadurpur Block, the majority 27.5%women laborers were not injured during paddy transplantingactivity and 5.9% women laborers were in jured duringharvesting. In Kaudhihar Block, the 15.7% women laborers werenot injured during paddy transplanting activity whereas 15.7%women laborers were injured during paddy harvesting.
Not even a single women injured in weeding, cleaning andirrigation activity
Table 6: Distribution of women laborers getting injuries in farming.
Injuries Women laborers N= 51Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road) Total N= 51 N= 18 N=17 N=16
F % s F % s F % s F % sNot injured 11 21.6 14 27.5 8 15.7 33 64.7Harvesting 3 5.9 3 5.9 8 15.7 14 27.5Transplanting 4 7.8 - - - - 4 7.8
Table 7: Distribution of women laborers fexperienced of fatigue due to adoption of bending posture.Feeling of Women laborers N= 51
Fatigue Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)
N= 18 N=17 N=16F %s F %s F %s F %s
Tired 18 35.3 17 33.3 16 31.4 51 100 Un-tired
Table 8: Distributions of women labourers According to their Problems in Joints in transplanting.
Problem in Women Laborers N= 51Joints Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)N= 18 N=17 N=16
F %s F %s F %s F %s Pain in Joints in 18 35.3 17 33.3 16 31.4 51 100all Body PartsPain in Body 18 35.5 16 33.3 16 31.4 51 100
Not even a single women felt physical problems in tiredness ,weakness and physical stress.
The data presented in table 9 revels that the in Chaka Blockmajority 15.7% women laborers felt light pain due to scratches,19.6% women laborers felt moderate pain due scratches. InBahadurpur Block 19.6% women laborers felt light pain and 13.7%women laborers felt moderate pain due to scratches. In KaudiharBlock 19.6% women laborers felt light pain due to scratches, 11.8%women laborers felt moderate pain due to scratches during paddytransplanting.
Distributions of women laborers According To Impact ofScratches on Feet and Hand.
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The data presented table - 10 the cent-percent womenlaborers skin got wrinkled and became white during paddytransplanting as their hands and legs were in the waterthroughout the day.
The data presented in table 11 revels that the cent- percentwomen laborers were adopted bending posture only for 5 minutein transplanting in selected each three blocks.
Adopted PostureConclusion
All the farm women' skin got wrinkled and became whiteduring paddy transplanting as their hands were in the waterthroughout the day. The women also reported the severe pain innights. Thus it is concluded that the paddy transplanting wasproved as the most drudgery prone activity by the sample womenof Allahabad city. Thus it is recommended that to the womenlaborers take a rest at every 30 minutes at least for five minutesto reduce fatigue.
Table 10: Distributions of women laborers According To Impact of Scratches on Feet and Hand.
Impact of Women Laborers N= 51
Scratches Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)
N= 18 N=17 N=16F %s F %s F %s F %s
Light Pain 8 15.7 10 19.6 10 19.6 28 54.9Moderate Pain 10 19.6 7 13.7 6 11.8 23 45.1
Table 10: Distribution of women laborers according to skin disease in farming.
Skin Problems Women Laborers N= 51Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51
(Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)N= 18 N=17 N=16
F %s F %s F %s F %sWhiteness with 18 35.5 17 33.3 16 31.4 51 100Wrinkle
Table 11: Distributions of women laborers According to the posture adopted for longer Period of Time.
Duration of Women Laborers N= 51Bending Chaka Block Bahadurpur Kaudhihar Total N= 51Adopted (Trans Yamuna) (Trans Ganga) (Kanpur Road)
N= 18 N=17 N=16F %s F %s F %s F %s
1-5 Minute 18 35.29 17 33.3 16 31.4 51 1005-10 Minute - - - - - - - -
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Razia Parvez, A.K.A. Lawrence and Swarn Lata
