The victims’ fight for justice is still on, spearheaded by Abdul Jabbar of Bhopal’s Rajendra Nagar. For 25 years, he has been waging a battle under the banner of his ‘Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sanghatan. Jabbarbhai told TSI, “Do you know what Arjun Singh told the SP and District Collector that day? I don’t want to know where these dead bodies will be dumped but you should take care to downplay the number of deaths”.
Policemen and soldiers buried the bodies in Budani jungle,
40 km from Rajendra Nagar, and threw many of the dead into the Narmada. The state acted in collusion with Union Carbide. The government still continues to say that just 3,500 people were killed in the tragedy whereas 8,000 people died on the three days subsequent to the tragedy. The toll has mounted to 25, 000. More than 5 lakh people are injured.
The number of Bhopal gas tragedy victims is five times more than what the government is willing to admit. In 2004, Jabbarbhai filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of compensation to the victims. But in 2007, the Court asked him to go to Bhopal’s welfare court, which the SC said was the ‘proper forum’. As per the order, he filed 1,01,000 petitions on behalf of the victims in the welfare court in 2008. But the Welfare Commissioner in 2009 January, without proper reason, rejected the petitions. So, Jabbarbhai went to the High Court, Jabalpur, which, in turn, directed him to move the Supreme Court again. He says with a sad smile, “It’s just a game. See how big and tough it is…”
Janet Braun Renitz, one of America’s notable mural painters was busy on the day of Bakr-id creating a mural on a wall located in front of the Carbide factory. “It’s been 25 ruthless years and Americans are the sole cause for this tragedy. Even after knowing that truth, Dow Chemicals (the new owners of UCC) and UCC are never ready to accept the moral responsibility is a shame. They are corporate criminals, they have no heart... It’s 100% corporate imperialism. They feel they can do anything” she told TSI.
The Union Carbide plant now resembles a graveyard. A police check post prevents people from entering the premises. The building and rooms are covered with layers of dust. To this day, nearly 8000 metric tonnes of chemical waste contaminates the soil and water around the factory. Various scientific studies, including one released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), have corroborated the reality of water and soil contamination.
The open site, where effluents from the factory (around 10,000 metric tonnes) remains out of the spotlight, is slightly away from the plant. Known as Zahreela Talab (poisonous lake), it spans across 20 acres. Land sharks are eyeing this site. If they move in without detoxification, it could prove to be disastrous.
In 1992, the state government stopped registering people who died due to the effects of the gas leak. In 1994, the Indian government terminated of long-term medical studies of the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). In 1989, the SC ordered a paltry sum of $470 million as compensation to the victims.
Even after the 2004 SC directive to double the compensation, the average amount received for a single case of death is approximately Rs 1 lakh. Compare this with what the kith and kin of the Uphar cinema hall fire in Delhi received – Rs 15 to 18 lakh per victim. Even in death and bereavement, the Bhopal gas leak victims haven’t been spared the effects of brazen class discrimination.
Policemen and soldiers buried the bodies in Budani jungle,
40 km from Rajendra Nagar, and threw many of the dead into the Narmada. The state acted in collusion with Union Carbide. The government still continues to say that just 3,500 people were killed in the tragedy whereas 8,000 people died on the three days subsequent to the tragedy. The toll has mounted to 25, 000. More than 5 lakh people are injured.The number of Bhopal gas tragedy victims is five times more than what the government is willing to admit. In 2004, Jabbarbhai filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of compensation to the victims. But in 2007, the Court asked him to go to Bhopal’s welfare court, which the SC said was the ‘proper forum’. As per the order, he filed 1,01,000 petitions on behalf of the victims in the welfare court in 2008. But the Welfare Commissioner in 2009 January, without proper reason, rejected the petitions. So, Jabbarbhai went to the High Court, Jabalpur, which, in turn, directed him to move the Supreme Court again. He says with a sad smile, “It’s just a game. See how big and tough it is…”
Janet Braun Renitz, one of America’s notable mural painters was busy on the day of Bakr-id creating a mural on a wall located in front of the Carbide factory. “It’s been 25 ruthless years and Americans are the sole cause for this tragedy. Even after knowing that truth, Dow Chemicals (the new owners of UCC) and UCC are never ready to accept the moral responsibility is a shame. They are corporate criminals, they have no heart... It’s 100% corporate imperialism. They feel they can do anything” she told TSI.
The Union Carbide plant now resembles a graveyard. A police check post prevents people from entering the premises. The building and rooms are covered with layers of dust. To this day, nearly 8000 metric tonnes of chemical waste contaminates the soil and water around the factory. Various scientific studies, including one released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), have corroborated the reality of water and soil contamination.
The open site, where effluents from the factory (around 10,000 metric tonnes) remains out of the spotlight, is slightly away from the plant. Known as Zahreela Talab (poisonous lake), it spans across 20 acres. Land sharks are eyeing this site. If they move in without detoxification, it could prove to be disastrous.
In 1992, the state government stopped registering people who died due to the effects of the gas leak. In 1994, the Indian government terminated of long-term medical studies of the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). In 1989, the SC ordered a paltry sum of $470 million as compensation to the victims.
Even after the 2004 SC directive to double the compensation, the average amount received for a single case of death is approximately Rs 1 lakh. Compare this with what the kith and kin of the Uphar cinema hall fire in Delhi received – Rs 15 to 18 lakh per victim. Even in death and bereavement, the Bhopal gas leak victims haven’t been spared the effects of brazen class discrimination.
