Bhopal In The News: April 2006 Archives

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April 22, 2006

Bhopal gas victims to start anti-Dow Chemicals campaign

Bhopal, April 20 (PTI): A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims on Wednesday threatened to start an international campaign against Dow Chemicals, including legal action and social boycott of its products in the country.

The protestors, who had called off their hunger strike in New Delhi on Monday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurances to take welfare measures for the victims, said other NGOs would be mobilised to hold meetings and awareness drives against Dow Chemicals -- the multi-national company that took over Union Carbide Corporation (UCC).

"Though we appreciate Singh's gesture and assurances, we want him to go a step further to ensure sustained health of victims of the tragedy that took place after MIC gas leaked from UCC factory here in 1984," Satinath Sarangi, a spokesman of the protestors told reporters here.

Singh had rejected two of their six demands --seeking a ban on products of Dow Chemicals being sold under the brand name of UCC and formation of special prosecution cell to initiate legal action against UCC and its former Chairman Warren Anderson-- he said adding "this clearly shows that he (Singh) is working at the behest of foreign companies".

Most of the contracts that the foreign companies are signing with the Centre, have clauses allowing them to disown reponsibility of any kind of tragedy caused by their subsidiaries, Sarangi claimed adding they were taking advantage of an amendment brought about in the Factories Act in 1989.

Posted by bhola at 06:15 AM | Comments (0)

21 years gone, no data on Bhopal waste yet

Vibha Sharma - Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 19
Even after 21 years of the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the worst industrial disasters in the world, there is no comprehensive or scientific assessment of the exact depth or spread of tonnes of toxic wastes lying at the ill-fated Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) factory.

The only solace so far is that the Prime Minister has conceded to the demand of 1984-gas tragedy survivors and their supporters regarding the cleaning up of toxic wastes.

The activists claim that in the absence of a comprehensive study on toxic wastes and the extent to which it has been contaminating the ground water, there is no way an estimate for their containment or disposal can be worked out.

“Keeping in mind the principle of ‘polluter pays’, if there is no scientific data on the chemical composition of the toxic waste, its depth and spread, how can one arrive at a figure as to how much money to be demanded from the Dow Chemical, the parent company of the UCC, to clean up the site,” activist Nityanand Jayaraman says.

The extent to which poisonous chemicals have seeped into the groundwater near the factory is said to be anywhere between 2.5 to 3.5 km north of the factory site.

In 1984, while the wind carried the deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas towards the south, the contaminated groundwater is now heading north carrying with it poisons to those believed to be left untouched by the tragedy.

While the 1984 gas leak from the UCC plant has claimed close to 20,000 lives till date, the poison from the hazardous waste, still lying abandoned at the site, has been continuously seeping into the ground water, posing even more serious health problems for them.

Samples collected by environment groups from the soil, groundwater and vegetables have shown dangerously high levels of heavy metals, including nickel, chromium, mercury and lead, besides toxic materials like dichlorobenzines. All of these were used at the UCC plant.

Mercury and lead contamination have found their way into breast milk, creating a whole new generation of Bhopal Gas Disaster victims.

“Children are being born with congenital deformities. Last week a still-born baby in one of the colonies had a perfectly made body, but the back of her skull was missing,” says Jayaraman.

After years of legal wrangling for due compensation, survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy have now graduated from talking about compensation to demanding clean water and environmental remediation.

While a high-level team, deputed by the Centre, is meeting in Bhopal to finalise details regarding provision of safe water in affected areas in Bhopal, there has been no data-based scientific documentation as yet of the chemical composition of the toxic wastes at the site.

“Some time back, Nagpur-based National Environment Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI) conducted a few patchy studies. About three years back, Greenpeace gave a rough estimate saying that $500 million would be required for environmental remeditation in Bhopal.

Posted by bhola at 06:11 AM | Comments (0)

April 20, 2006

Leader piece in The Hindu: Question of culpability

This week a group of protesters other than the Narmada Bachao Andolan called off its hunger strike. These protesters were the victims of what is still called the world's worst industrial disaster — the Bhopal gas calamity of December 2-3, 1984. Forty survivors of a tragedy that killed 3,000 people when deadly methyl isocyanate leaked out of the Union Carbide factory, and another 17,000 subsequently as a result of illness, took 33 days to march from Bhopal to Delhi. Their demands were not extravagant. Clean drinking water was one. Many of the survivors continue to live next to the now-defunct factory. But as the poisonous substances used for manufacture remain in the factory's compound, and no one is prepared to take the responsibility of cleaning it up, the surrounding water sources are heavily polluted. People living in the vicinity are forced to use this poisoned water. Survivors' groups have been demanding that the least that can be done is to provide them clean water. Yet, despite an earlier intervention by the Supreme Court, this simple demand was not met until April 17 — when the Prime Minister promised to do something. He assured them that the toxic wastes lying in the Carbide plant will be cleaned up and that a national commission for medical and economic rehabilitation of the gas tragedy victims will be constituted. December 3 will be declared a National Day of Mourning to remember the Bhopal Gas tragedy and a memorial will be built in Bhopal.

All this is very well, but it fails to address some critical issues thrown up by the tragedy. The Bhopal disaster stands out as an example of industrialisation gone wrong. A multinational, Union Carbide, was permitted to set up a factory that used hazardous chemicals adjacent to a large human settlement. The people around the factory were unaware of the nature of the poisons it used. When the accident took place, they were the first to die. Twenty-two years later, culpability for that disaster has still not been established. Although a criminal case is pending in the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Bhopal against the executives of the company, which has since been bought by Dow Chemicals, the Central Government has not pushed for the case to be heard. What is the message this sends out? That India is so anxious to invite foreign investors that it is willing to write off the lives and well-being of its citizens? If this is not the message the Government wishes to send, it must make it clear that just as infrastructure development has to take care of displacement and environmental damage, industries, Indian or foreign, will be held accountable if they poison people or the environment. Pursuing criminal as well as civil liability must form part of the `legal options' (to hold Dow Chemicals accountable) that the Prime Minister has promised to explore. Doing this earnestly will be the best memorial for the Bhopal gas victims.

Posted by bhola at 11:58 PM | Comments (0)

Task force for UC waste removal to meet today

Correspondent : Staff Reporter Eighth meeting of task force set up in compliance with the orders of the High Court in Jabalpur, for the removal of toxic wastes from the Union Carbide Plant, would be convened at Vallabh Bhawan on Tuesday in presence of Secretary of Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, Satwant Reddy.

Joint Secretary KC Mishra and Deputy Secretary Yashveer Singh along with representatives of Pollution Control Board and other government departments would also attend the meeting. However, the officials of Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Relief and Rehabilitation denied visit of the team in gas affected colonies and said that the team would halt in the city for just one day to attend eight meeting of task force.

Denying the report of the team visiting the gas affected colonies during its one day stay in the state capital, Principal Secretary of Bhopal Gas Tragedy, Relief and Rehabilitation Department MM Upadhyay told The Pioneer that the team consisting of Secretary of Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, Satwant Reddy, Joint Secretary KC Mishra and Deputy Secretary Yashveer Singh would visit the city to attend eight meeting of task force. Notably, some organisations fighting for the cause of gas victims have claimed that the team would also pay visit to affected colonies to inspect the situation.

SOURCE : The Pioneer, Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Posted by bhola at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2006

PM bows to Bhopal's protesters

By Randeep Ramesh, Delhi
April 19, 2006

SURVIVORS of the Bhopal disaster have called off a week-long hunger strike after India's Prime Minister promised to clean up the disused site, provide fresh drinking water for local people and build a $A30 million memorial to the dead.

A leak of methyl isocyanate gas from a pesticide plant operated by the Indian arm of the US firm Union Carbide killed more than 3500 people in Bhopal in December 1984. At least 15,000 others have died since from cancer and other diseases, and deformed children have been born to survivors.

In spite of compensation schemes, campaigners say the toll continues to rise as people living near the derelict plant drink water poisoned by toxic waste still present on the site. Two years ago a study found contamination in water around the plant 500 times higher than the maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation.

For more than 20 years, victims have been fighting with little success to get the site cleaned up. This year, to highlight their struggle, a group of 40 campaigners and survivors spent 33 days walking the 800 kilometres from Bhopal to New Delhi, arriving late last month.

A week ago, they began a pavement hunger strike, taking only sips of water — an act of defiance that turned out to be a potent political tactic. On Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conceded several of their demands, and the protest was halted. But the Government stopped short of issuing a pledge to prosecute Union Carbide — now a subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company — or its former chief executive, Warren Anderson. Dr Singh told the campaigners: "We have to do business. India will have to survive despite these tragedies."

Nityanand Jayaraman, a spokesman for the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, said: "This is an important victory for us, although we want justice as well. What worries us is that the Government expressed powerlessness at a time when it wants to double the amount of industrial investment into the country."

Many of those affected by the tragedy remain sceptical, given the record of broken government promises. Shehazadi Bee, one of the hunger strikers who lives in an area with a contaminated water supply, called for a timetable to ensure clean water arrived before the summer heat.

The abandoned plant is now owned by the Madhya Pradesh state Government, and estimates of the clean-up cost range from $A33.5 million to $A670 million. A local court had ordered a clean-up of the site last summer, but that was halted when 150 workers needed hospital treatment after being overcome by fumes.

"They tried to do it cheaply, without masks and gloves. It was a mess," said Satinath Sarangi, a protest organiser. "That's why we want assurances that the work will be done properly."

Posted by bhola at 06:17 AM | Comments (0)

April 18, 2006

Bhopal hunger strikers win clean-up fight

THE GUARDIAN, LONDON

· Indian prime minister bows to protest demands
· Clean water to be supplied for families near toxic site

Randeep Ramesh in New Delhi
Tuesday April 18, 2006
The Guardian

Survivors of the Bhopal disaster called off a week-long hunger strike last night after India's prime minister promised to clean up the disused chemical factory, provide fresh drinking water for local people and build a £13m memorial to the dead.

A leak of lethal methyl isocyanate gas from a pesticide plant operated by the Indian arm of the US firm Union Carbide killed more than 3,500 people in the central city of Bhopal in December 1984. At least 15,000 others have died since from cancer and other diseases, and deformed children have been born to survivors.

Despite compensation schemes, campaigners say the toll continues to rise as people living near the derelict plant drink water poisoned by toxic waste still present on the site. They want a piped water supply installed for families living nearby. Two years ago a study found contamination in water around the plant 500 times higher than the maximum recommended by the World Health Organisation.

For more than 20 years, victims have been fighting with little success to get the site cleaned up. This year, to highlight their struggle, a group of 40 campaigners and survivors spent 33 days walking the 500 miles from Bhopal to New Delhi, arriving late last month.

A week ago, they began a pavement hunger strike, taking only sips of water - an act of defiance that turned out to be a potent political tactic. Yesterday the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, conceded several of the campaigners' demands, and the protest was halted.

But the government stopped short of issuing a pledge to prosecute Union Carbide - now a subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company - or its former chief executive, Warren Anderson. Dr Singh told the campaigners: "We have to do business. India will have to survive despite these tragedies."

Nityanand Jayaraman, a spokesman for the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, said: "This is an important victory for us, although we want justice as well. What worries us is that the government expressed powerlessness at a time when it wants to double the amount of industrial investment into the country."

The Bhopal group briefly met Sonia Gandhi, leader of the ruling Congress party, and her son, Rahul Gandhi, an MP who has advised the campaign on tackling US-based multinationals.

Many of those affected by the tragedy remain sceptical, given the record of broken government promises. Shehazadi Bee, one of the hunger strikers who lives in an area with a contaminated water supply, welcomed the latest pledge but called for a timetable to ensure that the clean water arrived before the summer heat.

The abandoned plant is now owned by the Madhya Pradesh state government, and the estimated clean-up costs range from £14m to £280m. A local court had ordered a clean-up of the site last summer, but that was halted when 150 workers needed hospital treatment after being overcome by fumes.

"They tried to do it cheaply, without masks and gloves. It was a mess," said Satinath Sarangi, a protest organiser. "That's why we want assurances that the work will be done properly."

Posted by bhola at 02:18 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal campaigners call off hunger strike

TIMES OF INDIA Staff Correspondent

Legal options will be explored to hold Dow Chemicals accountable: Manmohan

• Manmohan meets delegation, agrees to some demands
• Time-bound plan for delivery of safe drinking water
• Scientific assessment of the spread of toxic contamination
• Funds to address all health issues related to tragedy

sathyu+bridget.jpg

CELEBRATING VICTORY: Bridget Hanna, a volunteer for Students for Bhopal in the United States, with social activist Sathyanath Sarangi in New Delhi on Monday. PHOTO: PTI

NEW DELHI: The victims of the Bhopal gas disaster on Monday called off their indefinite hunger strike after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met a 10-member delegation and agreed to some of their demands.

Six persons, including three survivors of the disaster, were on an indefinite fast for the last six days.

The Prime Minister's Office said they agreed to a time-bound plan for the delivery of safe drinking water to communities affected by contamination of water, scientific assessment of the depth and spread of toxic contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, and funds to address all health issues related to contamination.

Dr. Singh assured the delegation that the Centre was fully committed to providing relief to the victims of the disaster and ensuring their welfare. He said he would explore possible legal options to hold Dow Chemicals accountable.

They had also demanded that the Government stop buying Dow products and halt the company's expansion in India until it accepted pending liabilities of the disaster.

"We are ashamed and outraged that the Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy has openly admitted to his inability to pressure an American multinational," said Sathyanath Sarangi, one of the six persons who were on hunger strike.

Posted by bhola at 02:08 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims call off hunger strike after PM's assurance

OUTLOOK MAGAZINE

NEW DELHI, APR 17 (PTI)

A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims today called off their week-long hunger strike after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to take welfare measures required by them.

"We have decided to call off our hunger strike today as the Prime Minister has promised to meet four of the six demands," spokesman for the protestors Nityanand Jayaraman said after the meeting of a delegation with Singh.

A group of victims of the 1984 gas tragedy had sought setting up of a Commission to look into compensation issues, demands of providing them with clean water, removal of toxic debris from the factory site and setting up of a monument in Bhopal for the victims of the 1984 gas tragedy.

The Prime Minister assured that the government will take whatever welfare measures that are required for those affected by the gas tragedy, a PMO spokesman said when asked about the meeting of Bhopal gas tragedy victims with Singh.

While assuring that the government would take everything for the welfare of the victims, the spokesman said on other matters, the law of the land would prevail.

Posted by bhola at 01:28 AM | Comments (0)

Gas victims end agitation

TIMES OF INDIA

NEW DELHI: They came together, they broke their fast together. But if the Narmada Bachao Andolan activists were despondent, Bhopal gas victims sitting here on hunger-strike had some reason to cheer.

On Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh finally broke his silence, met them and assured speedy work on three major demands — a clean-up of the contaminated site, clean water and a commission to execute medical and economic rehabilitation schemes.

Happy with some progress, they called off their fast. But they are upset with the implication of the PM rejecting their demand that Union Carbide's successor, Dow Chemical, be held accountable and its products be banned here.

He reportedly told them that he couldn't promise to hold the corporation accountable. He said the country has to do business and that India has to survive despite such tragedies, said Bhopal campaigner Nityanand Jayaraman.

Activists now plan to launch an international campaign against Dow, through direct and legal action. After making them wait a long time, the PM finally met a 10-member delegation for about half an hour on Monday.

Activists say a ministry of chemicals team will leave for Bhopal on Tuesday to begin spadework on the clean-up and safe water supply. There is no timeframe but activists hope that this time round, they will get a real clean-up.

The state government seems to be moving on a fourth demand, a memorial. What sticks in their throat, however, is the PM's "open admission that he is unable to hold the corporation accountable". Two decades later, they are still no closer to this goal.

Posted by bhola at 01:26 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims call off strike

NDTV.COM

Monday, April 17, 2006 (New Delhi):

A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims have called off their week long hunger strike after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to take welfare measures required by them.

"We have decided to call off our hunger strike as the Prime Minister has promised to meet four of the six demands," spokesperson for the protestors Nityanand Jayaraman said after a meeting with the PM.

The Prime Minister assured that the government will take whatever welfare measures that are required for those affected by the gas tragedy. (PTI)

Posted by bhola at 01:25 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas tragedy victims call off week-long hunger strike

NEWKERALA.COM

New Delhi : Activists and survivors of the 1984 Bhopal Union Carbide chemical disaster, called off their week-long hunger strike following a meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here on Monday.

The Bhopal gas tragedy victims said that Dr Singh assured to take welfare measures required by them.

“We have decided to call off our hunger strike today as the Prime Minister has promised to meet four of the six demands,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, spokesman for the protestors.

A group of victims of the 1984 gas tragedy, which had been on hunger strike since April 11, have asked for Dow chemicals to clean up the site. They also want the Government of India to blacklist Dow till then.

The activists are also demanding free medical treatment for those still affected, mainly children and people who drink contaminated water, besides setting up of a monument in Bhopal for the victims of the 1984 gas tragedy.

Earlier last month, the survivors, including some women and children, joined by human rights and environmental activists, had come here after completing an 800-kilometer-long ‘Padayatra’ (foot march) to submit their six-point charter to the Prime Minister.

The survivors, under the aegis of four organizations, including ‘Bhopal Group for Information and Action’, ‘Bhopal Ki Awaaz’ (Voice of Bhopal), ‘Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karamachari Sangh’ and ‘Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha’, were are demanding that the government provide them with medical rehabilitation, clean water, livelihoods, pension, environmental remediation, punishment for the guilty and a Bhopal Gas Victims memorial.

In December 1984, toxic gas leaked from a pesticide plant in Bhopal owned by Union Carbide in Bhopal, killing 3,800 people almost immediately. Thousands more were maimed for life.

Union Carbide in 1984 accepted moral responsibility for the tragedy and established a 100 million dollars charitable trust fund to build a hospital for victims. Later Union Carbide was taken over by Dow Chemical.

Twenty-one years on, thousands of victims of the tragedy are still battling deadly diseases. Doctors say many survivors - and some from a generation born after the disaster - still suffer from deep psychiatric disorders and stunted growth while thousands of women have severe gynaecological problems.

The Union Carbide, after a protracted legal battle, paid 470 million dollars to the Government in a settlement reached in 1989. The victims, on an average, received 25,000 rupees (about 555 dollars) in case of illness and 100,000 rupees (about 2217 dollars) or so in case of a death in the family.

Posted by bhola at 01:24 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal campaigners call off fast

THE HINDU

Staff Correspondent

Legal options will be explored to hold Dow Chemicals accountable: Manmohan

Six persons, including three survivors of the disaster, were on an indefinite fast for the last six days. The Prime Minister's Office said they agreed to a time-bound plan for the delivery of safe drinking water to communities affected by contamination of water, scientific assessment of the depth and spread of toxic contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, and funds to address all health issues related to contamination. Dr. Singh assured the delegation that the Centre was fully committed to providing relief to the victims of the disaster and ensuring their welfare. He said he would explore possible legal options to hold Dow Chemicals accountable.

Reckless dumping

The Bhopal survivors had demanded that the Government make Dow Chemicals pay for the clean-up of toxic contamination, as well as pay compensation for the health and environmental damage caused by reckless dumping of chemical wastes. They had also demanded that the Government stop buying Dow products and halt the company's expansion in India until it accepted pending liabilities of the disaster.

Direct action

The Bhopal campaigners have resolved to take direct action against Dow and Union Carbide's businesses nationally and internationally over the next few months. "All our energies will be focussed on putting the brakes on Dow's business in India," said Champa Devi Shukla, Goldman Award winner, who was also on hunger-strike.

Posted by bhola at 01:23 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal victims end stir on PM’s word

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 01:50 IST

NEW DELHI: Bhopal gas tragedy victims called off a week-long indefinite hunger strike on Monday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to four of their six demands.

The victims of a 1984 gas leak at Bhopal's Union Carbide plant had marched 800 km from Bhopal to Delhi as a sign of protest and started their stir on March 29 at the Jantar Mantar. They embarked on an indefinite hunger strike on April 11.

Nityanand Jayaraman, a social activist leading the agitation, said the central government has agreed to provide a safe drinking water facility and to set up a national commission to provide healthcare, medical research, social support and economic rehabilitation to the survivors.

"Though there is no time frame to set up the commission, we expect it to happen soon or else the victims will restart the agitation," Jayaraman said.

The government also agreed to a scientific assessment of the depth and speed of toxic contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory and to make Dow chemicals pay to clean up the toxic contamination.

"It is very disappointing for us that the prime minister refused to blacklist Dow Chemicals in India or to take extra legal action against the company," said Shehzadi, a victim who was part of the 10-member group that met Manmohan Singh.The victims said, regarding their demand for action against Dow Chemical, the prime minister stated,
"I do not promise to prosecute the company, because we have to do business."
The activists said since the government has decided not to take action against the company, they would take direct and legal action against the company's activities in India.

"We will protest outside the offices of the company and also confront them," said Jayaraman.

He also said they would look for various legal options against the firm. Manmohan Singh has also agreed to build a memorial for the victims of the disaster and declare December 3 a national day of mourning for the victims of the industrial disaster.

Posted by bhola at 01:20 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2006

Bhopal gas victims call off fast

CHENNAI ONLINE

New Delhi, April 17: A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims today called off their week-long fast after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to take welfare measures for them.

A group of victims of the 1984 gas tragedy had sought setting up of a commission to look into compensation issues, demands of providing them with clean water, removal of toxic debris from the factory site and setting up of a monument in Bhopal for the victims of the 1984 gas tragedy.

The Prime Minister assured that the government would take whatever welfare measures that were required for those affected by the gas tragedy, a PMO spokesman said when asked about the meeting of Bhopal gas tragedy victims with Singh. (Agencies)

Posted by bhola at 02:36 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims call off fast after PM's assurance

THE HINDU

New Delhi, April. 17 (PTI): A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims today called off their week-long hunger strike after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to take welfare measures required by them.

Posted by bhola at 02:34 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims end stir; PM meets 4 demands

By Indo Asian News Service

New Delhi, April 17 (IANS) Protesting victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy here called off a week-long indefinite hunger strike Monday after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to four of their six demands.

'We met the prime minister for 20 minutes and he agreed to four of our demands,' said Nityanand Jayaraman, a social activist leading the agitation.

Jayaraman said the central government Monday agreed to include a safe drinking water facility and the setting up of a national commission to provide healthcare, medical research, social support and economic rehabilitation to the survivors.

'Though there is no time frame to set up the commission, we expect it to happen soon or else the victims will restart the agitation,' he added.

The government also agreed to a scientific assessment of the depth and speed of toxic contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory and make Dow chemicals pay to clean up the toxic contamination.

Manmohan Singh has also agreed to build a memorial for the victims of the disaster and declare December 3 as a national day of mourning for the victims of the industrial disaster.

'It is very disappointing for us that the prime minister refused to blacklist Dow Chemicals in India or to take extra legal action against the company,' said Shehzadi, a victim who was part of the 10-member group that met Manmohan Singh.

The victims said that on their demand for action against Dow Chemical, the prime minister stated, 'I do not promise to prosecute the company, we have to do business. India has to survive despite all these tragedies. People's welfare is our immediate concern and (let's) leave aside the rest of the politics to politicians.'

The activists said that since the government has decided not to take action against the company, they would take direct and legal action against the company's activities in India.

'We will carry out protests outside the offices of the company and also confront them,' said Jayaraman. He added that they would also look for various legal options against the firm.

Posted by bhola at 02:33 AM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2006

Bhopal gas victims to get potable water

By Indo Asian News Service

Bhopal, April 15 (IANS) A day after Bollywood star Aamir Khan gave his backing to victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, the Madhya Pradesh government Saturday announced a scheme to provide safe drinking water to them.

Minister for Gas Relief Babulal Gaur told IANS that a Rs.17-crore (Rs.10.7 million) scheme has been prepared in the wake of reports that drinking water in the 13 gas-hit localities of Bhopal was contaminated.

Six major water tanks would be constructed, and water from the Kolar dam would be supplied through pipelines, he added.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the working of the hospitals run by the Gas Relief Department, he promised to bring about 'immediate improvements'.

Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world's worst man-made disasters, have been protesting in New Delhi for the past five days demanding safe drinking water.

The protestors include people living in the localities affected by ground water contamination caused by the leak of over 40 tonnes of hazardous gas from the Union Carbide's pesticide plant.

The leak, which killed an estimated 20,000 people and maimed several thousands, remains one of the world's worst industrial disasters.

According to social activists, ground water samples collected near the Union Carbide plant have shown contamination levels 10 times higher than in other areas.

High levels of heavy metals such as nickel, chromium, mercury, lead and other toxic materials have been found in the soil.

Thousands of survivors, including those born after the disaster, are still battling the after-effects of the deadly leak - from illnesses ranging from deep psychiatric disorders to stunted growth, various studies have proved.

Protestors are also demanding speedy prosecution of Union Carbide Corp and its officials and the blacklisting of Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide in 2001, till it pays for the environmental and health damage caused by the dumping of hazardous wastes.

In addition, the victims are demanding that a National Commission on Bhopal tragedy be set up for long-term medical care and research and economic and social rehabilitation of the victims.

They are also insisting that the Bhopal disaster be included in the curricula of educational institutions and a memorial be erected in memory of victims.

Posted by bhola at 02:33 AM | Comments (0)

Manmohan prolonging our miseries: Bhopal tragedy protestors

THE HINDU

New Delhi, April 16 (PTI): A group of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors on an indefinite hunger strike here today alleged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was "prolonging the torture" of agitators by not taking a decision on their demands.

The protestors, whose hunger strike entered the sixth day, said they will be "forced to re-evaluate" the strategy of their agitation if the Government did not respond positively to their demand for a meeting with the Prime Minister to flag their concerns.

"We do not know when the Prime Minister is going to solve our problems. He is prolonging the torture of Bhopalis when he actually has the power to save their living," a spokesperson for the protestors Nityanand Jayaram said.

"If the response by the government is anything to go by, we have to say that everything is not fine," the spokesperson said

Expressing the hope that Singh will give them an audience tomorrow, he told PTI "we were told that the Prime Minister will meet us last Friday but was cancelled as he was not keeping well. But he had time to meet Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi that day."

"Does it mean that Singh does not want to meet protestors who came walking 800-km to the capital when a question was raised about their lives?" he said.

The protestors are demanding among other things medical and economic rehabilitation, provide clean water, prosecution of top Union Carbide officials and making Dow Chemicals, the present owner of Union Carbide pay for the clean-up of toxic contamination.

Posted by bhola at 02:27 AM | Comments (0)

Bhopal tragedy protestors to continue stir

New Delhi, April 16 (PTI): A group of survivors of 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, who are on an indefinite hunger strike for the past four days, on Saturday said they would continue their stir unless they are economically and medically rehabilitated. "It was a difficult day for the six hunger strikers.

They are losing weight but are in good spirit. They will not bow down," Nityanand Jayaram, a spokesman for the protestors said.

With the stir entering the fifth day, Jayaram said the protestors would be "forced to redefine" their agitation if the Government does not respond positively to their demands, including prosecution of top Union Carbide officials, making Dow Chemicals, the present owner of Union Carbide, pay for the clean-up of toxic contamination and providing clean water for the affected community.

The spokesman expressed hope that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will give them an audience on Monday. The six protestors, part of the 46-member group which undertook an 800-km Bhopal-Delhi 'padyatra' which reached here on March 27, began the hunger strike this Tuesday.

Claimed by many as the worst industrial disaster, the Bhopal tragedy occurred due to "accidental" release of 40 tonnes of Methyl Isocyanate from the pesticide plant of Union Carbide in the heart of the city killing at least 20,000 people over the years.

Posted by bhola at 01:01 AM | Comments (0)

Aamir takes up the cause of Narmada, Bhopal

INDIA.FM

Aamir Khan has taken up the cause of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Bhopal Gas tragedy victims. The actor is currently in Delhi for the issues. He spoke to victims from both the camps and heard them out. Thereafter there was a discussion which was open to questions from students and journalists. The director of Rang De Basanti, Rakyesh Mehra and actors Atul Kulkarni and Kunal Kapoor were also present. They spoke to the activists and heard their grievances.

The activist of the Narmada Bachao Andolan have been on a hunger strike since March 29. The survivors of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy have also been on a hunger strike since 4 days now. Aamir was followed by the media at the discussion. The activists of both the causes are glad because Aamir’s presence has brought attention to their plight.

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People admire Aamir Khan joining protesters at Jantar Mantar

INTERNATIONAL REPORTER

ew Delhi - Aamir Khan, one of the most popular Bollywood stars have joined at Jantar Mantar with the protesting Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists and Bhopal gas tragedy victims, on Friday.

His presence has enhanced the moral strength for the activists. The people have haled his action and expect the Govt. to redress their grievances.

Khan is against corruption and is considered a clean personality. An agency writes that Khan fresh from the success of film Rang De Basanti - which deals with ordinary citizens tired of corruption taking on the high and mighty.

He spent time with the protestors for more than two hours, listening to their problems and promising to support their cause whole-heartedly.

Other cast of the film as well as its director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra was also present. Khan, however, said his support to the two campaigns should not be seen as indicative of any plans to enter politics.

Khan said, "Last week when I was in Delhi, I passed by Jantar Mantar and was told about the two campaigns. I decided to come back and learn more about their problems. I don't know about the technicalities involved in raising the dam height. What I know is that farmers have been displaced from their land and lost their livelihood.

Till they are rehabilitated, the dam height should not be raised," he told reporters.

As regards Bhopal gas tragedy victims, he said the government should give them an audience as soon as possible. He appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to pay immediate attention to the two issues. "If need be, I will meet the PM. But I want the suffering people, who know the problems first-hand, to talk to him themselves," Khan said.

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Bhopal gas victims to get safe drinking water

TIMES OF INDIA

BHOPAL: A day after Bollywood star Aamir Khan gave his backing to victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, the Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday announced a scheme to provide safe drinking water to them.

Minister for Gas Relief Babulal Gaur said that a Rs 17-crore scheme has been prepared in the wake of reports that drinking water in the 13 gas-hit localities of Bhopal was contaminated.

Six major water tanks would be constructed, and water from the Kolar dam would be supplied through pipelines, he added.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the working of the hospitals run by the Gas Relief Department, he promised to bring about "immediate improvements".

Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world's worst man-made disasters, have been protesting in New Delhi for the past five days demanding safe drinking water.

The protestors include people living in the localities affected by ground water contamination caused by the leak of over 40 tonnes of hazardous gas from the Union Carbide's pesticide plant.

The leak, which killed an estimated 20,000 people and maimed several thousands, remains one of the world's worst industrial disasters.

According to social activists, ground water samples collected near the Union Carbide plant have shown contamination levels 10 times higher than in other areas.

High levels of heavy metals such as nickel, chromium, mercury, lead and other toxic materials have been found in the soil.

In addition, the victims are demanding that a National Commission on Bhopal tragedy be set up for long-term medical care and research and economic and social rehabilitation of the victims.

They are also insisting that the Bhopal disaster be included in the curricula of educational institutions and a memorial be erected in memory of victims.

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Bhopal gas victims begin fast

Staff Reporter

"We have come here for justice and we are not leaving without it"

# Demand for inter-ministerial agency to provide health care, social support, economic rehabilitation to victims
# Clean water, setting up prosecution cell to pursue case against Union Carbide, demanded
# Foreigners also join strike, support across the world

— PHOTO: PTI

"DON'T IGNORE US:"A street play being staged in support of an indefinite hunger strike by six persons, including three victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI: Six persons, including three victims of the Bhopal gas disaster, on Tuesday began an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar here, demanding that the Government address their demands.

The six — Shehazadi Bee, Champa Devi Shukla, Sanjay Verma, Satinath Sarangi, Satish Kumar and Rachna Dhingra — are part of a 46-member team that had walked 800 km from Bhopal to New Delhi in 33 days recently to present their demands and draw the Government's attention to the plight of Bhopal people.

"The Prime Minister has refused to meet us, stating that he has nothing to say. The Government cannot ignore us any more. We have come here for justice and we are not leaving without it," said Shehazadi Bee.

'Next 30 years'

Demanding a national commission on Bhopal, Champa Devi Shukla said: "The Government should set up an inter-ministerial coordinating agency with necessary authority and funds to provide facilities for health care, medical research, social support and economic rehabilitation of the people poisoned by Union Carbide/Dow Chemical and their children for at least the next 30 years.

This Commission must have the active participation of non-government doctors, scientists and representatives of survivors' organisations."

The demands

The Bhopal victims are also demanding clean water, cleaning up of the contaminated water, setting up a special prosecution cell to pursue the criminal case against Union Carbide and others and including the tragedy story in the curricula of schools and colleges.

Two youths from abroad, Sebastien Juarez and Josh Imeson, have joined the hunger strike for three days. On April 13, they will hand over the relay fast to Diane Wilson, a Texan fisherwoman-activist.

She will begin an indefinite fast in Austin, Texas, in support of the cause.

More than 120 people from 10 countries, including China, Switzerland, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Ireland, Spain and Singapore have signed up via www.bhopal.net to go on fast.

"We will return to Bhopal only when the Government announces the setting up of a national commission and commits to funding it with a corpus that will yield Rs. 50 crores a year.

Also, the Government should commit itself to setting up a special prosecution cell in the Central Bureau of Investigation to focus on the Bhopal criminal cases," said Champa Devi Shukla.

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‘Rang De Basanti’ stars join NBA, Bhopal protesters

Vibha Sharma - Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 14
Bollywood star Aamir Khan along with his two “Rang De Basanti” co-stars today sat at the Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with Bhopal Gas tragedy survivors and Narmada Bachao Andolan activists and “awaken the middle class” about the two environment and human rights-related issues.

Activists at the two protest venues were euphoric at Aamir’s arrival along with co-actors Atul Kulkarni and Kunal Kapoor and film director Rakeysh Mehra to the venue and extending their support to their causes.

Promising support to the two causes, Aamir even appealed to the Prime Minister to give the two issues his attention.

Unlike in the film, where Aamir resorted to violent approach to register his protest, he today sat with protesters for a peaceful dharna for around two hours even as chaos raged all around him.

His presence managed to create a stampede-like situation at the protest venue, with camera crews and common people jostling each other to catch a glimpse of the star.

Amidst the chaos, the star managed to ask issue-based questions from activists.

Rashida Bi, whose name is now synonymous with the Bhopal struggle, said Aamir was quite concerned to know how much relief the victims had managed to get and whether Dow Chemical, the parent company of the UCC, was still in business in India.

Aamir answered mediapersons queries on his support to the two causes and the violent approach of solving problems in his latest film.

He expressed concern at the raising of the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam in the Narmada valley and the environmental mess created by the UCC at Bhopal.

PTI adds: Meanwhile, the fast by a group of survivors of 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, demanding comprehensive economic and medical rehabilitation, entered fourth day today. Though the six persons on fast were in a “decent shape”, a spokesperson for the protesters said they have been losing weight and the going was tough.

The six protesters, including three survivors, who were part of the 46-member group that undertook 800-km-long Bhopal-Delhi “padyatra” that reached here on March 27, began fast on Tuesday. — PTI

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On fourth day, Bhopal hunger strikers lose weight

New Delhi, April 14 (PTI): The hunger strike by a group of survivors of 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, demanding comprehensive economic and medical rehabilitation, entered fourth day today.

Though the six hunger strikers were in a "decent shape", a spokesperson for the protestors said they have been losing weight and the going was tough.

The protestors said they were "very dejected" as they could not meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

"Media reports say the Prime Minister was not keeping well. But we had learnt that he had time to meet Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. We do not know why he did not want to meet some hunger strikers," their spokesperson Nityanand Jayaraman told PTI.

From then on, the survivors of the tragedy were on struggle path asking the government to provide clean water, prosecution of top Union Carbide officials and making Dow Chemicals, the present owner of Union Carbide pay for the clean-up of toxic condamination.

Six protestors, including three survivors, who were part of 46-member group which undertook an 800-km-long Bhopal-Delhi 'padyatra' which reached here on March 27, began the hunger strike this Tuesday.

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With Aamir, Narmada, Bhopal campaigns get star power

Friday, 14 April , 2006, 19:45

New Delhi: Matinee idol Aamir Khan’s quest to know more about the plight of Narmada dam evacuees and victims of Bhopal gas tragedy today brought the two issues back among the headlines.

The star Khan, fresh from the success of the film `Rang De Basanti’ that deals with ordinary citizens tired of corruption taking on the high and mighty, met the protestors for more than two hours at their camping spot at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, listening to their problems and promising to support their cause.

"Last week when I was in Delhi, I passed by Jantar Mantar and was told about the two campaigns. I decided to come back and learn more about their problems," he later told reporters.

Khan said he was pained upon learning of the sufferings of the dam displacees. "I don’t know about the technicalities involved in raising the height of the dam. What I do know is that farmers have been displaced from their land and they have lost their livelihood. Till the people who have already been displaced by the dam are not rehabilitated, the height of the dam should not be raised."

About the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, he said the government should give them an audience as soon as possible.

He appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give immediate attention to these two issues. "If need be, I will even meet the Prime Minister. But I want the people who are at the receiving end and who know the problems first-hand to talk to him," Khan said.

Khan’s visit to Jantar Mantar, along with the cast of the film as well as its director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra ensured that the activists got the best media attention they have received so far, with an army of mediapersons descending on the spot to cover the event.

However, chaotic scenes were witnessed and security personnel had a tough time keeping things under control as a huge crowd gathered at the spot, which largely comprised autograph-seekers and fans wanting to see their favourite Bollywood star.

There was a near stampede as Khan moved out of the place, with the public and mediapersons falling over each other to get close to the actor.

Making matters worse for the policemen was Khan’s decision to walk it to the nearby Park Hotel, where he later addressed the media.

TV crews jostled with each other to get visuals of the movie star and a surprised public walked along to get a glimpse of Khan as he walked to the hotel.

Khan, however, said his support to the two campaigns should not be seen as indicative of any plans to enter politics. "I am raising my voice as a citizen of the country. I don’t want to enter politics," he said.

Asked about protests against him in Gujarat for his support to the NBA, Khan said, "I don’t know why anybody should raise objections if I raise my voice for the rights of the farmers and the adivasis. I need to know on what basis they are objecting to it."

To a question on how he correlated the film `Rang De Basanti’, which had a group of youngsters assassinating the Defence Minister, to the non-violent campaign of the NBA and the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors, Khan said, "The film does not promote violence as a solution. In the end, the youth in the film realise that violence is no good."

Posted by bhola at 12:18 AM | Comments (0)

Aamir joins hands with activists

Puja Talwar & Gargi Rawat

Friday, April 14, 2006 (New Delhi):

The Narmada Bachao Andolan has had its share of celebrity supporters and today, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan was out in the streets of the capital joining hands with the activists.

"I have not come here in any political capacity. I have come here as a citizen of India," said Aamir.

The government recently said it will review its decision to increase the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam after major protests by activist Medha Patkar.

NBA activists are appealing to the government to rehabilitate the displaced people.

Strong support

Aamir listened intently to Bhagvati Behn on the 17th day of the hunger strike that she began with Medha Patkar.

She told him how her land in Madhya Pradesh would get submerged this monsoon due to the Sardar Sarovar dam and that she is yet to receive any compensation from the government.

"I don't know much about the dam, but rehabilitation is their right. Nobody can be driven out of their homes without being rehabilitated," observed the actor.

Drawing attention

Aamir along with some members of his team from Rang De Basanti visited Jantar Mantar to lend support to the Narmada Bachao Andolan as well as Bhopal gas tragedy survivors.

The Bhopal gas victims have also been sitting on a hunger strike for the last four days, demanding clean drinking water and a clean up of the toxic waste left behind by Union Carbide.

The basic idea behind Aamir's visit to the dharnas was to draw public attention as well as media attention to the issue at hand and to that end, his visit was fairly successful.

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Bhopal tragedy: Students on hunger strike

Gargi Rawat

Friday, April 14, 2006 (New Delhi):

Twenty-one years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, sympathy for the victims is growing.

Now over 300 people from 15 nations have signed up for a relay hunger strike.

The move is to express support with the survivors who are on an indefinite hunger strike in the Capital.

The protest comes soon after they marched 800 kms from Bhopal to Delhi to voice their demands for clean drinking water.

The toxic waste dumped by the Union Carbide factory has not been cleaned up, leaving local residents with no option but to use contaminated groundwater for drinking purposes.

Demanding clean water

Among those protesting against contaminated water are students of Ramjas college.

Nayanjyoti and Akhil, who are studying for their first year final exams, are on a one-day hunger strike to express solidarity with the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors.

The striking youths are demanding clean drinking water, since those who live around the abandoned factory are forced to drink toxic ground water even today, despite Supreme Court orders that clean water be provided to them.

The protestors are also demanding that Dow Chemicals that has bought Union Carbide, be forced to clean up.

"They are just asking for clean water. That should not be denied to anyone. It's a fundamental right," said Akhil Mishra, Ramjas College student.

Defining terrorism

Both students from Delhi University believe in the Gandhian form of protest. They say the only way to make demands is through non-violence.

"There are various movements like Naxals and ULFA, but terrorism only creates more problems. I am from Assam and I have seen how violence achieves nothing. This is a form of terrorism against your own people," said Nayanjyoti, Ramjas College student.

Terrorism means different things to different people, but for these two students, the fact that even 21 years after the Union Carbide gas leak most families still don't receive clean drinking water, is a form of terrorism.

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Bhopal gas victims fast for compensation

DAILY TIMES, LAHORE

NEW DELHI: Indian activists launched a hunger strike Tuesday, seeking compensation for thousands of slum dwellers poisoned by the 1984 Bhopal gas leak in which clouds of toxic fumes spewed from a plant.

The six campaigners ate stuffed Indian bread with pickle as their last meal on a pavement in downtown New Delhi as traffic roared by. Protesters have been camped on the sidewalk since March 25 after staging an 800-kilometre trek from Bhopal in central Madhya Pradesh state.

They decided to launch their fast in which they will only drink water because they felt nobody was paying attention to their protest. “This is our last weapon. It has been 21 years. The government hasn’t done anything,” said gas leak survivor Champa Devi Shukla.

Fasts are a favourite weapon in India since being popularised by pacifist independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. The hunger strike was the second in the capital. Prominent environmental activist Medha Patkar was in the 13th day of a hunger strike in hospital to demand help for villagers displaced by a massive dam. AFP

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April 15, 2006

Supporters of Bhopal gas victims observe fast

Special Correspondent - The Hindu

It's to express solidarity with the efforts undertaken world-wide by campaigners

EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY: Volunteers from different groups seeking justice for the Bhopal gas victims near Valluvar Kottam, Nungambakkam, on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI : A group of volunteers representing the Tamil Nadu Womens Collective, the Tamil Nadu Womens Federation, the Tamil Nadu Human Rights Initiative and the International Campaign for Justice for Bhopal (victims) participated in a day-long fast on Tuesday.

The fast held near Valluvar Kottam was in solidarity with several such efforts world wide held by campaigners, who, according to a volunteer in Chennai, Shweta Narayan, are demanding that the Union government bar Dow and Union Carbide from introducing into India any processes, technologies or products developed by or owned by Union Carbide.

They also sought clean water, clean up of contamination and government coordinating agency with power and finances to implement medical and economic rehabilitation programmes.

They also want setting up of a special prosecution cell to pursue the criminal case against Union Carbide, and memorialising the disaster by including the Bhopal story in the educational curricula of schools and colleges.

Similar fasts were observed in other parts of the State and the country too.

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Supreme Court permits inspection of Bhopal Memorial Hospital accounts

New Delhi, Apr 12: The Supreme Court today permitted 'Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan' to inspect the audited account, from 1998 to 2004, of Bhopal Memorial Hospital to see if any irregularities were committed.

A division bench of Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice L S Panta asked 'Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan' to complete the inspection of accounts of Bhopal Memorial Hospital within two weeks and file a report within a week thereafter in case any bungling was found in the maintenance of the accounts. The bench fixed May 2 for further hearing.

Posted by bhola at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal activists start hunger strike

FROM MONSTERS AND CRITICS
ALSO CARRIED IN NEWKERALA.COM

NEW DELHI, India (UPI) -- Three survivors of the chemical disaster at Bhopal and three of their supporters have started a hunger strike to pressure the Indian government.

Last month, a group of 46 people walked 500 miles from Bhopal to New Delhi to call for the prosecution of the former president of Union Carbide and a new water system for Bhopal.

'Ours is a fight of the weak for the truth, and the prime minister will have to listen to us,' one of the hunger strikers, Satinath Sarangi, told the BBC.

A gas leak at a Union Carbide plant in 1984 killed at least 15,000 people -- the official government figure. Activists believe that the death toll was twice that.

The hunger strikers are also demanding that Dow Chemical, which acquired Union Carbide after the disaster, pay for cleanup in Bhopal.

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Bhopal gas victims on hunger strike for justice

NEW ZEALAND HERALD ON SUNDAY

NEW DELHI - Victims of the Bhopal industrial disaster went on an indefinite hunger strike in the Indian capital on Tuesday to demand a clean-up of toxic wastes left by the 1984 gas leak.

More than 3,500 people died inhaling the fumes from a pesticide plant owned by Union Carbide - now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co. - and at least 15,000 have died since from cancer and other diseases, according to official figures.

"If the government ignores our hunger strike then it will be clear it only wants to earn money from multinational companies and just wants us to die," said Shehazadi Bee, one of three Bhopal victims taking part in the fast along with three campaigners in New Delhi.

They are demanding the Indian government force Dow Chemical Co. to clean up the disaster area in central India.

Activists say the actual death toll from post-disaster diseases is almost 33,000, and continues to rise as people living near the plant drink water poisoned by chemical waste.

They want a supply of clean piped water to be installed for families living in the vicinity of the factory.

Michigan-based Dow Chemical says it is not responsible for the clean-up as it never owned or operated the plant. The abandoned plant is now owned by the Madhya Pradesh state government.

Around 50 protestors took over a month to march the 800 km from Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, to New Delhi, where they have held a sit-in protest for over 10 days.

Posted by bhola at 11:52 PM | Comments (0)

Office of Profit and the Lure of Authority

by Kuldip Nayar writing in the Navhind Times

NOT far from Indian Parliament House is the Jantar Mantar, our Hyde Park. The protestors sit on either side of the road to ventilate their grievance through the fiery speeches they make and the screaming banners they carry aloft. This is the closest they can reach Parliament which does not allow any demonstration within its precincts.

The two groups squatting on the strips of land along the road are the Bhopal gas victims and the Narmada Dam oustees. One has walked all the way from Bhopal to protest against the measly compensation. The other represents through their leader, Ms Medha Patkar, thousands of families which have not been rehabilitated after having been removed from their lands and homes to make place for a series of dams and waterways.

Those from Bhopal want the owner, a US company, to be tried for his criminal negligence. The Narmada Dam oustees demand that the different Supreme Court judgments and awards to be made good. The pronouncements say the uprooted have to be rehabilitated six months before they are disturbed. Both groups have been waiting for justice for more than 20 years. Both have been depending on the government’s fair play. Both have been expecting the promised rehabilitation package which has eluded many. Yet, both have not given up hope and expect their due from Parliament whose attention they want to catch from the Jantar Mantar Road.

Indeed, Parliament has been reconvened later this month. But the purpose is not to debate or decide on the future of the Bhopal gas victims or the Narmada Dam oustees. For Parliament, these are mundane issues which have been discussed many a time before. Its attention is focused on a law to ensure that the legislators at the Centre and in the states are not disqualified if they occupy an office of profit. The Election Commission has been a spoiler to point out that an office of profit does not go well with the status of a legislator.

However, ruling political parties have found the office handy. They have distributed it as a consolation prize either to silence their rowdy followers or to those who cannot be accommodated in the government when cabinet berths fall short. The practice hitherto is to mollify by offering the member chairmanship of a corporation or commission. It is the lure of authority in such positions that makes members to seek an office of profit.

In a country where a parliamentary constituency embraces nearly 12 lakh voters and a state assembly constituency roughly half the number, a legislator’s hands should be full. The constituencies are too large to get even one visit by a member in the five-year-long term.

Why should the member have an office which naturally will take a substantial part of his or her time? But a legislator’s consideration is to enjoy authority as ministers do. And, why not? The office provides a free chauffeur driven car, a government maintained house, free travel by air or train, a large staff and entertainment allowance without tax and the like. There is no salary but that is what a member draws from Parliament or assembly. The government must have created thousands of such posts from the days of independence. The Election Commission does not seem to have objected to the practice in the past.

Currently, it is taking notice of violations and as many as 100 cases of MPs and MLAs are pending before it. The Commission drew first blood when it disqualified Ms Jaya Bachchan, head of UP Films Division. So panicky was the reaction of other members that 40 of them resigned on a single day from the office they occupied. There are some positions which should not be considered as an office of profit. The occupants are doing a useful job. Take, for instance, the Jalianwalia Bagh Trust. Ms Sonia Gandhi has resigned from it. This is not called for. She should stay with the trust.

What is an office of profit? The Constitution does not define it. However, Article 102 which lists disqualifications for members has spelled out in a way. It says that “a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit under the government of India or the government of any state by reason only that he is a minister either from the Union or from such state.” This means that only ministers are exempt. The ruling parties have not followed this interpretation. In the early years of independence, violations were an exception. Today every Tom, Dick and Harry who has the pull, pecuniary or political, occupies one office or another. The states are even worse. Practically, all members of the ruling party or coalition have an office of profit.

A law, however comprehensive, will not be able to cover all offices of profit. Even when framed, it will be challenged in a court of law. Now that people know about the misuse of office, the criticism will follow every MP or MLA who holds it. It would be better for the ruling Congress and the other political parties not to have any legislation at all and let members work in the constituency which has returned them. In this way, the malfunctioning of money allocated for their constituency development (MPLADS) will also lessen.

However, the question before the nation is not whether a legislator can legally occupy an office of profit but whether it is morally correct for a member to do so when it is only a cover to give him authority and benefits. It is a pity that the leading lights of different parties -- the Left is no exception -- are keen to join hands to garner benefits from an office of profit without being exposed to legal complications. This is strange. All technical and bureaucratic objections have been raised not to allow the Bhopal gas victims and the Narmada Dam oustees to get their due but in the case of legislators, every rule is being stretched to see how they can retain an office of profit. Obviously, they want to have the cake and eat it too.

The BJP is neither concerned with the Bhopal gas victims nor the Narmada Dam oustees. It has no programme except to put spanners in the way of India’s development. Mr L K Advani feels that the ‘rath’ yatra is the only programme to attract attention. The BJP chief, Mr Rajnath Singh is new to the field of yatra and hence less vituperative. So his yatra is at low key. But whatever they are doing to promote the yatras, they are missing moral issues like Bhopal gas victims and the Narmada Dam oustees. The party’s interest in the office of profit is because its government in the state can continue to play havoc.

Posted by bhola at 11:50 PM | Comments (0)

Hunger strike for Bhopal victims

BBC NEWS

Six campaigners for victims of the 1984 chemical disaster at Bhopal have started an indefinite hunger strike in the Indian capital, Delhi.

The activists have been protesting in Delhi for over two weeks

The protesters, three of them survivors of the disaster, are demanding health care and social support for victims.

Thousands of people were killed after poisonous gas leaked from Union Carbide's chemical plant in the city.

Last month, 46 activists walked 800km (500 miles) from Bhopal to Delhi to demand compensation.

The Indian government gives an official figure of 15,000 dead in 1984 disaster.

But activists argue the figure is at least double that, and say many more are still facing health problems due to drinking contaminated water.

They want safe drinking water to be provided for the people of Bhopal and a memorial for the victims.

'Fight of the weak'

Activists are also demanding that the then chairman of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, be prosecuted over the disaster.

Bhopal gas tragedy victims joined by other supporters during their march in Delhi
The survivors walked 800km in 33 days to reach Delhi

And they want Dow Chemicals, which took over Union Carbide, to pay for the cleaning of the toxic waste.

But Dow Chemicals says it never owned, operated, took over or had any responsibility for the Bhopal plant which was owned by its Indian subsidiary.

The survivors walked 800km in 33 days to reach Delhi

Satinath Sarangi, one of the hunger strikers, said despite several requests the activists were still waiting to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Ours is a fight of the weak for the truth and the prime minister will have to listen to us," he said.

Members of the group had met Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi, her son and MP Rahul Gandhi and a number of federal ministers to put forward their demands, he said.

Leading Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is also expected to join the group to show support for Bhopal victims on 14 April, he said.

Posted by bhola at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims fast for compensation over toxic fumes

GARAVI GUJARAT

INDIAN activists launched a hunger strike to seek compensation for thousands of slum dwellers poisoned by the 1984 Bhopal gas leak in which clouds of toxic fumes spewed from a plant.

The six campaigners ate stuffed Indian bread with pickle as their last meal on Tuesday on a pavement in downtown New Delhi as traffic roared by.

Protesters have been camped on the sidewalk since March 25 after staging an 800-kilometer (500-mile) trek from Bhopal in central Madhya Pradesh state.

They decided to launch their fast in which they will only drink water because they felt nobody was paying attention to their protest.

"This is our last weapon. It has been 21 years. The government has not done anything," said gas leak survivor Champa Devi Shukla.

Fasts are a favourite weapon in India since being popularised by pacifist independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.

The hunger strike was the second in the capital. Prominent environmental activist Medha Patkar was in the 13th day of a hunger strike in hospital to demand help for villagers displaced by a massive dam.

Shukla blames the cancer deaths of her husband and son on the 40 tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas spewed from a Union Carbide plant on December 2, 1984.

Another of Shukla`s sons committed suicide after being disabled in the accident.

The gas immediately killed over 3,500 slum dwellers. The toll has since climbed to over 15,000, the government says. But activists say it is double.

Posted by bhola at 11:43 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas tragedy victims begin indefinite hunger strike

NEW DELHI: A group of Bhopal gas tragedy victims and their supporters on Tuesday began an indefinite hunger strike here to press their demand for economic and medical rehabilitation of the survivors of the world's worst industrial disaster.

"The government cannot ignore us. We have come here for justice and we are not leaving here without it," Shehzadi Bee, and two other gas tragedy victims - Champa Devi and Sanjay Verma - and three supporters - Satinath Sarangi, Satish Kumar and Rachna Dhingra -- told reporters.

The demands of the protestors, who had arrived here 15 days ago, also include clean water for the community, prosecution of Union Carbide officals and making the owner of Union Carbide pay for the clean-up of toxic contamination.

Two French nationals will also join the hunger strike for the next three days which will be followed by a Texan fisherwoman activist in the United States.

Supporters in the United States would organise candle-light vigils to express solidarity with them, they said.

The six strikers had earlier been part of a 46-member team which undertook an 800-km 'padyatra' from Bhopal to Delhi to further the cause of the gas tragedy survivors.

One of the three victims Verma had lost his parents and siblings on the night of the disaster while Devi and Bee were affected by the gas and water contamination after the tragedy which struck in 1984.

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Six survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy on indefinite hunger strike

ZEE NEWS

New Delhi, Apr 11: The twin protests here by Sardar Sarovar Project oustees and Bhopal gas tragedy victims shows no signs of ebbing anytime soon with six survivors from Bhopal set to start on an indefinite hunger strike from today.

Giving an impetus to the ongoing struggle, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan will join both the protests on Friday to express solidarity with their cause.

"First he (Aamir) will talk with two victims from both camps and hear about their plight; this will open up to a larger discussion where people like students and journalists can interact and ask questions to the actor," Puneeta Roy of Tehelka Foundation, which is organising the meeting, told media.

Six of the Bhopal demonstrators will start their indefinite hunger strike today demanding clean drinking water in the affected areas, criminal prosecution of the accused in the case, setting up of a national commission on the issue, rehabilitation of victims and a ban on Union Carbide products, their spokesman Nityanand Jayaraman said.

Meanwhile, the Narmada Bachao Andolan activists continued their hunger strike in the Capital even as their leader Medha Patkar remained in the CCU of a hospital here. Her condition is stable, her aides said.

Support for NBA is also pouring in from the academic community with scholars including Romila Thapar, Bipan Chandra, Sumit Sarkar, Mushirul Hasan, Muchkund Dubey and Prabhat Patnaik writing to the PM asking him to ensure that the Supreme Court order is implemented in the case.

Yesterday, Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, who led a three-member team of ministers to review the rehabilitation programme in the Sardar Sarovar Project areas, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted a report on rehabilitation work.

Posted by bhola at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims on hunger strike for justice

NEW DELHI, April 11 (Reuters) - Victims of the Bhopal industrial disaster went on an indefinite hunger strike in the Indian capital on Tuesday to demand a clean-up of toxic wastes left by the 1984 gas leak.

More than 3,500 people died inhaling the fumes from a pesticide plant owned by Union Carbide -- now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co. -- and at least 15,000 have died since from cancer and other diseases, according to official figures.

They are demanding the Indian government force Dow Chemical Co. to clean up the disaster area in central India.

Activists say the actual death toll from post-disaster diseases is almost 33,000, and continues to rise as people living near the plant drink water poisoned by chemical waste.

They want a supply of clean piped water to be installed for families living in the vicinity of the factory.

Michigan-based Dow Chemical says it is not responsible for the clean-up as it never owned or operated the plant. The abandoned plant is now owned by the Madhya Pradesh state government.

Around 50 protestors took over a month to march the 800 km (500 miles) from Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, to New Delhi, where they have held a sit-in protest for over 10 days.

Posted by bhola at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal victims step up agitation

THE HINDU

DANCE OF DEATH: Bhopal gas victims holding a demonstration on Parliament Street in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: S. Subramanium

NEW DELHI: Over 400 survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster and their sympathisers who on Monday organised a huge "die in" here, covering themselves in white shrouds and lying on the road while symbolic figures of death danced through the "corpses". The gas victims and their sympathisers, who have been demonstrating here for the last fifteen days, announced that six persons (three survivors and three sympathisers) would go on an indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday.

Demonstrators said that though the Ministry of Chemicals had been sympathetic to their demands, it was up to the Prime Minister to clear any decision related to the Bhopal victims. They said the Union Cabinet's approval for the implementation of the Supreme Court orders of 2004 for disbursement of pro-rata additional compensation on a one-to-one basis to the victims did not address their present demands. "This money was long due and a result of an agreement between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Government that any shortfall in converting the money payable from dollars to rupees would be taken care by the Central Government. It has nothing to with our present demands," said Nityanand Jayaram, environmental activist and writer.

In a statement issued on Monday, four organisations, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action, and Bhopal ki Awaaz cited a 2001 study published by the Madhya Pradesh government's Centre for Rehabilitation Studies that has attributed at least 350 deaths annually to gas-related ailments.

Posted by bhola at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

Narmada, Bhopal protests to enter new phase, Aamir to join

New Delhi, Apr 10 : The twin protests here by Sardar Sarovar Project oustees and Bhopal gas tragedy victims showed no signs of ebbing anytime soon with six survivors from Bhopal set to start on an indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow.

Giving an impetus to the ongoing struggle, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan will join both the protests on Friday to express solidarity with their cause.

Six of the Bhopal demonstrators will start their indefinite hunger strike tomorrow demanding clean drinking water in the affected areas, criminal prosecution of the accused in the case, setting up of a National Commission on the issue, rehabilitation of victims and a ban on Union Carbide products, their spokesman Nityanand Jayaraman said.

Meanwhile, the Narmada Bachao Andolan activists continued their hunger strike in the capital even as their leader Medha Patkar remained in the CCU of a hospital here. Her condition is stable, her aides said.

Earlier in the day, Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, who led a three-member team of ministers to review the rehabilitation programme in the Sardar Sarovar Project areas, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted a report on rehabilitation work.

Posted by bhola at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas tragedy survivors go on hunger strike

NDTV

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 (New Delhi):

Survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy have launched an indefinite hunger strike in the capital, two weeks after they walked 800 km from Bhopal to New Delhi.

The survivors claim they are yet to receive clean drinking water as directed by the Supreme Court, even 21 years after the Union Carbide gas leak.

The toxic waste dumped by the factory has not been cleaned up either, leaving local residents with no option but to use contaminated groundwater for drinking purposes.

The survivors have demanded the Indian government blacklist the American company Dow Chemicals, which brought Union Carbide to India, till it cleans up the area.

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Pat and punch for actor

The Calcutta Telegraphy

RASHEED KIDWAI AND POORNIMA JOSHI

Aamir Khan

Bhopal/New Delhi, April 15: Aamir Khan’s expression of solidarity with the Narmada oustees and Bhopal gas leak survivors has earned him a pat on the back from writer-activist Arundhati Roy, though some others are sceptical of his commitment.

Roy, who donated part of her Booker Prize money for the gas victims, welcomed Aamir’s gesture but had a word of advice for him.

“It was a great thing that he came here. But we would urge him to stop endorsing Coke. I would give him a big zindabad if he does that,” Roy told The Telegraph in Delhi.

Coca-Cola plants have been accused of causing water shortage and pollution at Plachimada in Kerala and in Pilukhedi, 50 km from Bhopal.

Aamir had yesterday said: “I’ll take up the issue with Coke. I have been endorsing their brand and if there is a problem, I would like to know and, hopefully, be able to correct (it).”

But in Bhopal, Abdul Jabbar, who runs the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangthan — an NGO championing the gas victims’ cause — accused the actor of playing to the gallery.

“We have suffered for over 20 years. Why has he woken up now? If he is really concerned, let him come to the city, see for himself the suffering of gas survivors and perhaps do something,” Jabbar said.

“The government is doing nothing but the conduct of people like Aamir, who hanker after publicity in the guise of social commitment, leaves a bitter taste.”

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Health problems continue to stalk Bhopal victims

THE HINDU

Staff Correspondent

"The Prime Minister has not found time to meet us despite having more that two months notice"

# Residents say children are underdeveloped, suffer from skin problems
# Adults suffer from chest pain, tiredness, dim vision

NEW DELHI: Survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster on Saturday said they were disappointed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had called off a scheduled meeting with them stating health reasons.

"We are extremely disappointed. Three gas victims are on the fifth day of a hunger strike, and the Prime Minister has not found time to meet us despite having more than two months notice," said Champa Devi Shukla, who is on a hunger strike. Victims of the disaster, at a press conference here, said their health was affected because of the contamination of ground water.

"My eldest son fell ill when he was eight. He never fully recovered. His hands still tremble when he drinks tea. He has four children, all of whom have skin problems. They experience rashes, boils and itching, and are physically retarded," said Shahida Bee, who lives in Blue Moon Colony in Bhopal. Tulsa Bai, also from Blue Moon Colony, said her 11-year-old grandson was too small for his age, and his teeth were decayed. "My third son has an eight-year-old daughter who is seriously underdeveloped.

Shanthi Naidu, a resident of Shankar Nagar, Bhopal, said four of her six children died in infancy. "My husband suffers from constant chest pain and dim vision. When he gets chest pain his eyes cloud over and he gets dizzy. He is not fit to work, and gets tired very easily," she said.

Posted by bhola at 02:29 AM | Comments (0)

April 11, 2006

Bhopal gas victims plan indefinite hunger strike

TIMES OF INDIA
Monday, April 10, 2006

NEW DELHI: Six victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy will go on an indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday to protest against the government apathy towards their demands.

A 100 protestors have been taking out marches and shouting slogans for a month now, asking for a new compensation package and rehabilitation of the survivors.

"The government is not taking any action against the extradition of Union Carbide's former chairman and for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families," said Nityanand Jayaraman, a social activist who is leading the agitation in the capital, on Monday.

Jayaraman said the government had announced Rs 500 million for the victims, but the compensation was still due.

"The government has not announced a new compensation package and the fast will be our way of showing resentment against the government," he added.

As a sign of silent protest on Monday, the agitators lay on the road and covered themselves with white sheets in order to recreate the scene after the accident.

"Through this protest we want to tell the government that around 20,000 people have died so far and every year around 350-400 are dying because of the after-effects of the accident," said Shehzadi, a 49-year-old survivor.

She said these figures came from a study conducted by the Madhya Pradesh government.

The protesters include survivors of the tragedy caused by a leak of over 40 tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas from Union Carbide's pesticide plant on the night of December 2-3, 1984, in Bhopal.

Shehzadi said the agitators have asked the government to increase compensation and to provide basic facilities at the rehabilitation camps.

"We have been forced to live in places that lack drinking water facilities and we have asked the government to provide these facilities."

Though the government had filed a criminal case against the then Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson, the police were unable to produce him before the court.

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April 10, 2006

Bhopal gas victims plan indefinite hunger strike

April 10, 2006

By Indo Asian News Service

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Six victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy will go on an indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday to protest against the government apathy towards their demands.

A hundred protestors have been taking out marches and shouting slogans for a month now, asking for a new compensation package and rehabilitation of the survivors.

'The government is not taking any action against the extradition of Union Carbide's former chairman and for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families,' said Nityanand Jayaraman, a social activist who is leading the agitation in the capital, on Monday.

Jayaraman said the government had announced Rs.500 million for the victims, but the compensation was still due.

'The government has not announced a new compensation package and the fast will be our way of showing resentment against the government,' he added.

As a sign of silent protest Monday, the agitators lay on the road and covered themselves with white sheets in order to recreate the scene after the accident.

'Through this protest we want to tell the government that around 20,000 people have died so far and every year around 350-400 are dying because of the after-effects of the accident,' said Shehzadi, a 49-year-old survivor.

She said these figures came from a study conducted by the Madhya Pradesh government.

The protesters include survivors of the tragedy caused by a leak of over 40 tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas from Union Carbide's pesticide plant on the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, in Bhopal.

Shehzadi said the agitators have asked the government to increase compensation and to provide basic facilities at the rehabilitation camps.

'We have been forced to live in places that lack drinking water facilities and we have asked the government to provide these facilities.'

Though the government had filed a criminal case against the then Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson, the police were unable to produce him before the court.

Posted by bhola at 05:40 PM | Comments (0)

Bhopal gas victims plan stir in Delhi Monday

April 09, 2006

By Indo Asian News Service

Bhopal, April 9 (IANS) Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy will stage a protest before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence in Delhi Monday, demanding 'proper' rehabilitation and the extradition of Union Carbide's former chairman.

The demonstrators left for the national capital Sunday, said a representative of the victims.

The protestors include survivors of the tragedy caused by the leak of over 40 tonnes of lethal methyl isocyanate gas from Union Carbide's pesticide plant on the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, in Bhopal. The leak killed 20,000 and maimed thousands more.

The protest is being organised by the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udhyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) - the oldest body fighting for the survivors.

A criminal case against the then Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson has been pending in the Bhopal sessions court since 1987. Over the last 19 years, the court issued innumerable bailable and non-bailable warrants for his production before it but to no avail.

'Even after 14 years, the Indian government has failed to execute the warrants due to non-cooperation of the US administration,' BGPMUS convenor Abdul Jabbar said Sunday.

The victims, Jabbar said, will demand the formation of an autonomous body that will monitor the rehabilitation of those affected. Other demands include a five-fold increase in compensation, better medical facilities, drinking water in the affected areas and punishment of the guilty.

Posted by bhola at 08:31 AM | Comments (0)

April 09, 2006

Bhopal survivors to start global hunger strike

THE AGE, AUSTRALIA

By Rajeshree Sisodia, New Delhi
April 10, 2006

SURVIVORS of the world's worst industrial disaster are to begin an indefinite worldwide hunger strike.

Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, which claimed the lives of thousands of people more than 20 years ago when toxic chemicals leaked from a Union Carbide plant in central India, will begin their protest in Delhi tomorrow.

They are due to be joined in their struggle by supporters in the United States and Britain.

Last month some survivors marched 790 kilometres from Bhopal to Delhi to galvanise support from the Indian Government.

The call for an indefinite hunger strike comes after repeated attempts by campaigners to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in recent weeks proved fruitless.

Though survivors have met a handful of senior ministers, the protesters' pleas for Delhi to black-list the American pharmaceutical giant Dow, which took control of Union Carbide in 2001, have fallen on deaf ears.

The Bhopal gas tragedy claimed the lives of more than 8000 men, women and children. Faulty valves allowed about 40 tonnes of a lethal cocktail of gases, including methyl isocyanate, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, to leak from a tank in the plant in Madhya Pradesh on December 3, 1984.

Campaigners claim another 12,000 died in the years that followed and that the disaster continues to poison communities that have no choice but to drink contaminated water.

The now abandoned factory and surrounding area have never been decontaminated. Dow, which last year recorded sales of $US46.3 billion ($A63.8 billion), maintains that it had no involvement in the disaster.

Protesters want the Indian Government, which buys insecticide from Dow, to black-list the company until it agrees to decontaminate the plant, pay for medical monitoring for hundreds of thousands of people in Old Bhopal and for medical relief and rehabilitation for victims.

Both India and the US recognise the "Polluters Pay" principle, an international guideline that states that those who contaminate sites should pay for clean-up work.

Rachna Dhingra, from the victims' group the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, accused the Indian Government of placing politics above lives.

"The Government can't black-list Dow because they want foreign investment to come into the country in all circumstances," she said.

"Bhopalis will go on an indefinite hunger strike. No matter what happens, we will not leave Delhi without getting what we want."

Campaigners claim that while Dr Singh has ignored their demands, he has twice met Dow chairman Andrew Liveris in the past six months to encourage the company to further invest in the subcontinent.

The US multinational has four subsidiaries and two joint ventures in India, with both Delhi and Dow looking to build on the company's annual earnings in India of about $US300 million.

Privately, politicians and analysts concede that Delhi will not black-list Dow for fear of setting a dangerous precedent and jeopardising growing foreign investment in India.

Dr Singh has long been heralded as the architect of fiscal reforms that have helped the subcontinent become one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

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City pledges solidarity with Bhopal survivors

NT Bureau
Chennai, Apr 9:

It still casts a dark shadow over thousands of people. The night of 3 December 1984 saw death coming out of the darkness in the form of a thick chemical fog as a villain yearning to feast on innocent lives.

Still after 22 years , the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy had only learned to fear as their tragedy did not end with that night because 50,000 people are too sick to work for a living.

As part of the International Campaign for Justice for the Bhopal victims, a special photo exhibition and film screening on the Bhopal gas disaster under the title Madras for Bhopal was conducted yesterday at Alliance Francaise of Madras to express solidarity and support to those victims still fighting for justice.

The exhibition highlights certain instances that shook the nation and concurrently brings forth the collective struggle of a group of people who undertook a 800- km march from Bhopal to New Delhi with the single aim of meeting the Prime Minister and press him to meet their long- pending demands.

Posted by bhola at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)

Chennaiites launch photo exhibition in solidarity with Bhopal

NewKerala.com

Chennai, Apr 8: Expressing solidarity with the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy in Delhi, a photo exhibition on their recent "Padayatra" from Bhopal to the national capital was held here today.

The photographs of the 800-km "Padayatra", clicked by two US citizens, Maude Dorr and Michael, who participated in the yatra themselves, and by eminent photographer Raghu Rai, are a vivid portrayal of the plight of the survivors even today.

Nearly 200 people from Bhopal living near the Union Carbide factory started walking all the way to Delhi on February 20 last,with the hope of meeting the Prime Minister and appealing for help "but the PM's office shows no signs of giving them an appointment," said Shwetha Narain, a volunteer of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, a Chennai-based organisation.

Narain, who participated in the yatra herself and is organising the photo exhibition here along with co-volunteer Dharmesh, said rather than grant them an audience, the police took them by force and arrested several of them.

Narain also said if the same situation continued till April 11, they would go on an indefinite fast, which, he said, would spark off relay fasts all over the country.

The photo exhibition is the second on the Bhopal tragedy in Chennai this month.

Posted by bhola at 01:03 PM | Comments (0)

Chennaiites launch Bhopal photo exhibit

Chennai, April 8: Expressing solidarity with the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy in Delhi, a photo exhibition on their recent "Padayatra" from Bhopal to the national capital was held here today.

Nearly 200 people from Bhopal living near the Union Carbide factory started walking all the way to Delhi on February 20 last, with the hope of meeting the Prime Minister and appealing for help "but the PM's office shows no signs of giving them an appointment," said Shwetha Narain, a volunteer of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, a Chennai-based organisation.

Narain also said if the same situation continued till April 11, they would go on an indefinite fast, which, he said, would spark off relay fasts all over the country.

The photo exhibition is the second on the Bhopal tragedy in Chennai this month. (Our Corespondent)

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Congress eyes image correction

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT - THE CALCUTTA TELEGRAPH

New Delhi, April 7: The Congress is hoping Sonia Gandhi will give its and the government’s image a “much-needed corrective” when she addresses party workers on the national rural job guarantee scheme on May 26 in Delhi.

The party, which came to power with the slogan Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath, feels the scheme — the most “positive affirmation” of its government’s commitment to the common minimum programme — has not been projected properly.

According to feedback the party has, there are over 70 lakh applicants for jobs under this scheme but this “positive” has been negated by other complaints.

“Our feedback is the BJP-ruled states are either scuttling the scheme or taking away credit for it by giving it another name,” a Congress worker from Chhattisgarh said.

In Congress-ruled states, grassroots functionaries are reported to be using the scheme as a source of power and patronage to build networks of clients rather than as a poverty relief measure.

The job scheme is not the only worry for the Congress. There is a feeling among sections in the party that the government has veered away from the letter and spirit of the common minimum programme and is going the NDA’s India Shining way.

“An impression is going around that the only events that excite the government are the rising sensex, FDI inflow and the Indo-US relations,” a source said.

A general secretary said there were fears the party had lost chunks of the traditionally committed tea garden votes in Assam because packages announced by the Centre and the state were “pocketed” by intermediaries and never reached the intended beneficiaries.

The sources feared such an image could affect the outcome of the two big elections of 2007 in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and trigger disquiet in the Left.

Among the recent incidents that could reinforce the “anti-people” image were the Delhi slum demolitions and the protests by the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Bhopal gas victims, the sources said.

Although the slum dwellers were served quit notices by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in March, the order had been issued by Delhi High Court in December 2005. “We failed to explain this fact and we are getting all the flak for obeying a legal directive,” a Congress MLA said.

The MLA pointed out that while Congress leaders were protesting the demolition of shops in residential areas, they were silent about the slums. “A message has gone out that we have taken up cudgels only on behalf of the traders who are traditionally not our voters,” the MLA said.

A member of the Congress’s media cell said he froze each time he appeared in TV discussions on Narmada and Bhopal.

“It’s easier to deal with the Opposition than the NGOs,” he said.
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Times of India editorial: Forgotten people

The country's two best known struggles are waging a battle for justice under the trees of Jantar Mantar in the capital — the Narmada dam oustees and Bhopal gas victims. Both have a 20-year history, albeit emerging from different contexts.

Having borne the brunt of state brutality and yet remaining non-violent, they have been documented and recognised by the international community. The Bhopal gas tragedy killed more than 7,000 people and injured many within two or three days.

In the last 21 years, at least another 15,000 have died and more than 1,00,000 suffer from chronic illnesses caused by exposure to gas. Nobody has been held responsible for the leak till date. The plant site has not been cleaned.

As a result, toxic wastes continue to pollute the environment and contaminate water that surrounding communities rely on. In Narmada, the planners considered a geogra-phical area without taking into account the people and environment for making a cascade of dams, starting with Sardar Sarovar at the west end of the river.

A considerably good rehabilitation package was prepared and integrated into the law, but never implemented by the states in letter and spirit. In spite of non-violent protests, the dam continued to go up.

Emotions in favour of the dam were flared up, sometimes to absurd levels, by the states. It put the lives and livelihoods of over 44,000 families (or nearly 2.25 lakh people) at peril in western parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, according to official figures.

As the World Bank review committee noted, another three lakh people still await the magic wand for being recognised as project-affected. The role of the judiciary in these two issues has been disappointing.

It dragged proceedings for years, its pronouncements on human rights actually yielding little on the ground. Its refusal to hold people responsible for violations of law encouraged more violations, and cemented the state's conviction that they were not accountable to anyone.

Calling Narmada Bachao Andolan Publicity Interest Litigation or Private Inquisitiveness Litigation was totally uncalled for. Bhopal or Narmada, by not being able to translate into significant vote banks, failed to find a meaningful mention in common minimum programmes of parties or political formations.

Till a decade back, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party lent unstinting support to the dam in their election manifestos in Gujarat. In the case of both the struggles, the Centre and state governments kept passing the buck, frustrating the people.

Politicians, once out of power, wholeheartedly supported the struggles. When elected to power, they busied themselves with other things and avoided taking action.

In the absence of an active media, these struggles would not have reached out to a large multitude. In the initial days of the struggle, when sting operations were confined to Bollywood movies and TRP ratings did not decide the news, the media had more space and time to report and analyse these issues.

It helped generate a debate in civil society about development, human rights and state's responsibilities. But now media would rather devote space and time to details of 'wardrobe malfunction', and heap scorn on these struggles as the very height of all impediments.

Hence, the over one lakh families rendered homeless due to demolitions in Mumbai and Delhi, or the hundreds of farmer suicides in many states, do not come under 'breaking news'.

Two groups of protestors sitting at a distance of a few metres from each other at Jantar Mantar do not invite much media attention. Nor can they pose any political threat to the government, though they are only a couple of kilometres away from Parliament.

Their presence in Delhi with demands for a just rehabilitation speaks volumes for India's human rights record. Unless that record is set straight, talk of 10 per cent growth or the Sensex crossing 11K does not make India developed or, for that matter, even civilised.

The author is with Amnesty International

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April 07, 2006

Ensure safe water for gas victims: Amnesty

PTI - HINDUSTAN TIMES
New Delhi, April 6, 2006

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL today asked the Government to take immediate steps to ensure regular supply of safe water for the Bhopal gas tragedy victims and cleaning up of the factory site to check further deterioration of ground water and environment.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the rights watchdog Secretary General Irene Khan also urged setting up of a probe into the alleged police assault on protestors who were demonstrating in front of Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ramvilas Paswan’s office here.

Hundreds of survivors were staging demonstration from March 27 here demanding rehabilitation, livelihood and environmental remediation for victims fighting chronic ailments for the past 21 years. Khan said the PM should also “heed to the request of survivors, many of them who have walked 800 km to New Delhi, for a meeting with you.”

Till date, she said, no one has been held responsible for the gas leak and its disastrous consequences — 22,000 killed to date and more than one lakh suffer from chronic ailments — that continue to affect people and the environment. The contaminated plant site has not been cleaned up and MP Government has failed to act on the SC order to clean up the premises and provide safe water for the victims, Khan said.

Concerned over the March 28 detention of several activists, Amnesty asked the Government to constitute ‘a prompt, impartial and transparent investigation’ to examine whether the use of force by police was in consistent with law.

Posted by bhola at 12:22 PM | Comments (0)

Hierarchy of protests, on Delhi roads

THE TELEGRAPH, CALCUTTA - OUR CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, April 6:

Protests have a pecking order, as Delhi has shown in recent days.

First there was the outrage over the acquittal of all the accused in the Jessica Lal murder. Designers, celebrities like Nafisa Ali and students from Delhi’s colleges took out a candlelight march as the incident touched a raw nerve in middle-class drawing rooms going up to the hallowed precincts of 10 Janpath.

It was the mother of all recent protests in

B H O P A L I N T H E N E W S A R C H I V E

I N T E R N A T I O N A L C A M P A I G N F O R J U S T I C E I N B H O P A L

April 22, 2006

Bhopal gas victims to start anti-Dow Chemicals campaign

21 years gone, no data on Bhopal waste yet

April 20, 2006

Leader piece in The Hindu: Question of culpability

Task force for UC waste removal to meet today

April 19, 2006

PM bows to Bhopal's protesters

April 18, 2006

Bhopal hunger strikers win clean-up fight

Bhopal campaigners call off hunger strike

Bhopal gas victims call off hunger strike after PM's assurance

Gas victims end agitation

Bhopal gas victims call off strike

Bhopal gas tragedy victims call off week-long hunger strike

Bhopal campaigners call off fast

Bhopal victims end stir on PM’s word

April 17, 2006

Bhopal gas victims call off fast

Bhopal gas victims call off fast after PM's assurance

Bhopal gas victims end stir; PM meets 4 demands

April 16, 2006

Bhopal gas victims to get potable water

Manmohan prolonging our miseries: Bhopal tragedy protestors

Bhopal tragedy protestors to continue stir

Aamir takes up the cause of Narmada, Bhopal

People admire Aamir Khan joining protesters at Jantar Mantar

Bhopal gas victims to get safe drinking water

Bhopal gas victims begin fast

‘Rang De Basanti’ stars join NBA, Bhopal protesters

On fourth day, Bhopal hunger strikers lose weight

With Aamir, Narmada, Bhopal campaigns get star power

Aamir joins hands with activists

Bhopal tragedy: Students on hunger strike

Bhopal gas victims fast for compensation

April 15, 2006

Supporters of Bhopal gas victims observe fast

Supreme Court permits inspection of Bhopal Memorial Hospital accounts

Bhopal activists start hunger strike

Bhopal gas victims on hunger strike for justice

Office of Profit and the Lure of Authority

Hunger strike for Bhopal victims

Bhopal gas victims fast for compensation over toxic fumes

Bhopal gas tragedy victims begin indefinite hunger strike

Six survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy on indefinite hunger strike

Bhopal gas victims on hunger strike for justice

Bhopal victims step up agitation

Narmada, Bhopal protests to enter new phase, Aamir to join

Bhopal gas tragedy survivors go on hunger strike

Pat and punch for actor

Health problems continue to stalk Bhopal victims

April 11, 2006

Bhopal gas victims plan indefinite hunger strike

April 10, 2006

Bhopal gas victims plan indefinite hunger strike

Bhopal gas victims plan stir in Delhi Monday

April 09, 2006

Bhopal survivors to start global hunger strike

City pledges solidarity with Bhopal survivors

Chennaiites launch photo exhibition in solidarity with Bhopal

Chennaiites launch Bhopal photo exhibit

Congress eyes image correction

Times of India editorial: Forgotten people

April 07, 2006

Ensure safe water for gas victims: Amnesty

Hierarchy of protests, on Delhi roads

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