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March 22, 2007
MP accepts demands of Bhopal victims
Indian Express, March 20, 2007
NEW DELHI, ARCH 19: Following enormous pressure, the Madhya Pradesh government has agreed to meet some of the demands related to water, medical care and rehabilitation of the people affected by the Bhopal gas tragedy.
The latest agreement comes after six of the “Right to Live” campaigners fasted for nearly a fortnight in Bhopal. Today, on behalf of the state government, the collector handed over a written response to each of the demands raised by the four organisations involved.
Now, immediate steps will be taken to fill vacant posts in hospitals meant for gas-affected people. Doctors and specialists at the gas relief hospitals will henceforth be hired on five year contracts in place of two years. The government will also vacate 152 work sheds in the Special Industrial Area within three months to establish employment generating industries. Additionally, the state government will help survivors form Self Help Groups that will carry out production activities and survivors will be given priority while granting loans and subsidies through existing self employment schemes.
The state government also agreed to provide all information on soil and ground water contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory and to build a wall around its premises to protect children and cattle from hazardous materials. For provision of safe water in the vicinity of the abandoned factory, 50 additional tanks will be provided within a month’s time.
The demands of the campaigners regarding setting up of an office of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal and formation of sub-groups on medical care, economic, social and environmental rehabilitation with participation of survivors’ organisations was also accepted.
On behalf of the state government, the collector will organise a follow up meeting after a month to take stock of progress made with regard to different issues.
Meanwhile, the Bhopal organisations said public action had been planned in India and abroad for April and May in the event the State Government failed to honour its commitments. Supporters from India, US and other countries sent more than 2,000 faxes to the Chief Minister and made more than 500 phone calls to senior bureaucrats and ministers in the Madhya Pradesh Government in this regard.
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Bhopal gas victims plan public action
GULFNEWS.COM, MARCH 21, 2007
Bhopal: The representatives of the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, who ended a 14-day hunger strike on Monday, plan a "public action" if the Madhya Pradesh Government fails to keep its promises.
"Public actions have been planned in India and abroad in April and May if the state government fails to honour its commitments. This would include indefinite fasts by supporters at the Indian embassy in Washington," Rachna Dhingra, a member of the Bhopal Group of Information and Action (BGIA), told IANS.
The agitation, which many gas-survivors' organisations had joined, ended on Monday only when the state government gave a written assurance that their demands would be met soon.
Healthcare
The survivors are demanding healthcare and economic rehabilitation for those affected by the toxic fumes that leaked from the now-defunct Union Carbide pesticide plant 22 years ago on December 2, 1984. Over 3,000 people died instantly and more than 15,000 affected people died later.
"The decision to end the fast and the 27-day sit-in was taken after the state government accepted key demands and district collector S.K. Mishra, authorised by the chief minister to look into our problems, handed over a written response to each of the demands raised by us," said Rachna, who participated in the strike with five others.
Hazardous waste
The other participants in the strike were Rashida, who had lost six family members to cancer after they inhaled the noxious fumes, Guddi, Jabbar Khan, Shehazadi, all of whom were exposed to the toxic gases in 1984, and BGIA activist Satinath Sarangi.
The strike was part of a 'Jeene Ka Haq' (right to live) campaign, which began on February 20 to demand social support for the survivors and their families, safe drinking water and removal of hazardous waste from the plant site.
The leaders of various gas-survivors' organisations want the state government to ensure that toxic waste is not allowed to contaminate surrounding areas and the survivors are provided safe drinking water, as directed by the Supreme Court. As per the agreement reached with the state government, immediate steps will be taken to fill vacant posts in hospitals meant for the affected and to improve the quality of medicines and facilities for investigations there.
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March 20, 2007
`Right to Live' campaigners call off fast in Bhopal
THE HINDU, MARCH 20, 2007
Government accepts demands of organisations of survivors of the gas tragedy
# Hospitals for survivors to have improved facilities
# Additional water tanks to be installed
BHOPAL: Fourteen days after they began their protest fast to press their demands for water, medical care and rehabilitation of the people affected by the Union Carbide gas tragedy here, six of the "Right to Live" campaigners called off their indefinite fast on Sunday.
The decision to end the fast and the 27-day dharna was taken after the State Government accepted the key demands of the four organisations of survivors of the December 1984 disaster and District Collector S.K. Mishra handed over a written response to each of the demands.
The Collector has been authorised by the Chief Minister to negotiate with the representatives of the 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 Aawaaz.
To celebrate their victory, a large number of survivors and residents living next to the abandoned Union Carbide factory danced to the beat of drums. They requested their supporters in Washington DC to call off their three-day-old fast in front of the Indian embassy.
Under the agreement reached with the State Government, immediate steps would be taken to fill vacant posts in hospitals meant for the gas-affected people and to improve the quality of medicines and facilities. Doctors and specialists would be posted on a five-year contract instead of two. The Government also agreed to vacate the 152 work-sheds in the Special Industrial Area here within three months to establish employment-generating industries within a year. It would also help survivors form self-help groups.. The Government agreed to provide all information on soil and ground water contamination in and around the Union Carbide factory and to build a wall around the factory to protect children and cattle from the hazardous material lying inside. Fifty additional water tanks would be provided within a month to communities in the vicinity of the abandoned factory.
The campaigners' demand for setting up an office of the coordination committee on Bhopal and formation of sub-groups on medical care, economic, social and environmental rehabilitation with participation of survivors' organisations were also accepted.
Posted by bhola at 01:29 AM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2007
Cops remove protesting Bhopal gas leak survivors
INDIA ENEWS.COM, MARCH 18, 2007
Five fasting survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy have been forcibly removed to hospital by police here for refusing to take medical aid till Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accepted their various long-pending demands.
They were picked up while on the 14th day of their fast Saturday and have been lodged in the Hamidia Hospital here where they are not being allowed to meet anyone.
Bhopal District Collector S.K. Mishra has admitted to having issued the orders to remove the hunger strikers to the hospital, adding that charges of attempted suicide may be pressed on them.
The survivors have been staging strikes for the past month under the campaign 'Jeene Ka Haq' (Right to Live) to mark the first anniversary of their 800-km protest march from the city to New Delhi in support of their demands.
The campaign has been launched to push for the resolution of their demands, including healthcare, economic rehabilitation and social support for the survivors and their families, availability of safe drinking water and removal of hazardous waste from the Union Carbide Corporation's (UCC) now-defunct pesticide plant.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier conceded their demands for clean water and environmental, economic and medical rehabilitation.
Disaster occurred on the night of Dec 2, 1984, when over 40 tonnes of lethal Methyl Iso-Cyanate (MIC) spewed out of the pesticide plant killing more than 3,000 people instantly and maiming thousands for life.
More than 15,000 people affected with the exposure of toxic gas have died since then.
Meanwhile, leaders of various gas-survivors' organisations including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh (BGPMSKS), Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha (BGPMPSM), Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA) and Bhopal Ki Aawaaz (BKA) have condemned the state government's alleged indifference towards the suffering of the people.
'The state government was ignoring the decisions of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal set up by the prime minister last year for relief and rehabilitation of the gas victims. It was also guilty of not following the directions of the Supreme Court regarding supply of safe drinking water to the affected communities next to the UCC,' Rachna Dhingra of BGIA, whose condition is said to be deteriorating after 14 days of fast, told IANS.
The survivors have decided to call a nationwide agitation against the state government and have resolved not to end the strike until their demands are met.
Posted by bhola at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
Hunger strikers removed from venue in Bhopal
TIMES OF INDIA, MARCH 18, 2007
BHOPAL: Five hunger strikers, including four gas survivors - Rashida Bee, Rachna Dhingra, Jabbar Khan, Guddi Bee, and Shehzadi Bee - were forcibly picked up by two truckloads of policemen at 7 am on Saturday.
According to a press release by the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal district collector, B K Mishra, admitted to having issued the orders to remove the hunger strikers to Hamidia Hospital, and said charges of court-attempted suicide may be pressed on the strikers.
Ironically, at least two of the hunger strikers come from an area where people are forced to consume water contaminated by Union Carbide's poisons due to the government's refusal to provide clean water.
The hunger strikers were on the 13th day of an indefinite fast which was launched after thirteen days of dharna which began on February 20, marking the anniversary of the 800 kilometre padyatra from Bhopal to Delhi.
In April last year, the Prime Minister conceded to survivors' demands for clean water, environmental rehabilitation, and economic and medical rehabilitation. Despite the availability of funds with the government for implementation of these demands and the constitution of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal involving the state and Centre officials and survivor representatives, the state has shown no progress in implementing any of these schemes.
The hunger strike, prompted by the state government's inaction, underscores the following standing demands of the Bhopal survivors: proper medical care, clean drinking water, containment of toxic wastes, and pension for widows and families with congenitally handicapped children, and economic rehabilitation in the form of jobs for 10,000 survivors.
Reports from Hamidia Hospital indicate that attempts are on to strap the resisting hunger strikers to beds in order to force feed them. Over the last twenty-five days, international supporters of the Bhopal campaign have sent more than two thousand faxes to the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.
More than four hundred phone calls have been made to various state government officials. The Ministry of Chemicals indicated that the state government has not responded to repeated reminders asking for an update on the progress on commitments made by the state in the meetings of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal. Bhopal survivors have decided to call a nationwide agitation towards the Madhya Pradesh government, and have resolved to not end the strike until their demands are met.
Posted by bhola at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)
Police drag Bhopal gas tragedy survivors on hunger strike, detain in hospital
Pervez Bari, Bhopal, March 17, 2007
In an early morning swoop five hunger strikers, including four gas survivors – Ms Rashida Bi, Ms Rachna Dhingra, Ms Jabbar Khan, Ms Guddi Bi and Shehzadi Bi, agitating for the four demands of the thousands of survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy, were forcibly picked up by two truckloads of policemen and half a dozen women at about 7 a.m. here today.
The hunger strikers were taken to the Government Hamidia Hospital for medical check-up and forcible feeding which they have refused. They have been detained in the hospital and have not been allowed to meet anyone of the agitating survivors of the 1984 gas tragedy, the world's worst industrial disaster. Even newsmen were kept at bay and the hospital building was cordoned off from all sides.
However, it was only after much dilly-dallying the district officials allowed only four colleagues of the arrested hunger strikers to meet them. The arrested hunger strikers were found squatting on the ground in the hospital ward refusing to take anything to maintain their fast. The doctors on the prodding of the police officials could not dent the will power of the hunger strikers, sources said.
As the news spread of the arrests of hunger strikers the gas victims began to assemble outside the main entrance of the hospital and raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh government and the Bhopal district administration. The slogans raised included "Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister) ho Barbaad, Ho Barbaad"; "Sarkar Hum Se Darti Hai, Police Ko Aage Karti Hai"; "Bolre Bahna Bol, Halla Bol, Halla Bol" etc. as riot policemen stood on the sides as silent spectators.
According to sources a doctor after examining the hunger strikers reportedly told the police officials that they were medically fit and could be allowed to go. However, the police official incharge of the operation reportedly expressed his inability to let them go saying orders from above were to detain them.
Syed Mohammad Irfan, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, said that personnel of Madhya Pradesh Police surrounded the venue dragged, lifted and dumped the weak hunger strikers, who were on the 13th day of their indefinite fast, and some of their supporters, who were on "dharna" (sit-in) in police vehicles in an inhuman manner.
Irfan said Ms Rachna Dhingra, one of the hunger striker, was still sleeping when policewomen grabbed her hands and feet to pick her up violently and put in a waiting vehicle. In the process her "kurta" (shirt) was torn up, he added.
They snatched a digital camera and refused to give it back to the owner, and one of the badgeless policemen made unpalatable remarks and allegedly hinted at rape towards two of the women supporters (Pragya and Shalini), a Press release of the NGOs said.
The police have reportedly been ordered to get evacuated Tinshed, the venue of ongoing indefinite hunger strike and "dharna". The order for the pick-up came from the Collector.
The Bhopal District Collector, B.K. Mishra, admitted to having issued the orders to remove the hunger strikers to hospital, and said charges of attempted suicide may be pressed on the strikers.
Ironically, at least two of the hunger strikers come from an area where people are forced to consume water contaminated by Union Carbide’s poisons due to the government’s refusal to provide clean water. The hunger strikers were on the thirteenth day of an indefinite fast which was launched after 13 days of dharna which began on February 20, marking the anniversary of the 800 kilometre "Padyatra" (foot-march) from Bhopal to Delhi.
In April of last year, the Prime Minister of India conceded to survivors’ demands for clean water, environmental rehabilitation, and economic and medical rehabilitation. Despite the availability of funds with the government for implementation of these demands and the constitution of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal involving the State and Union Government officials and survivor representatives, the State has shown no progress in implementing any of these schemes.
The hunger strike, prompted by the state government’s inaction, underscores the following standing demands of the Bhopal survivors: proper medical care, clean drinking water, containment of toxic wastes, pension for widows and families with congenitally handicapped children and economic rehabilitation in the form of jobs for 10,000 survivors.
Over the last 25 days, international supporters of the Bhopal campaign have sent more than 2000 faxes to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. More than 400 phone calls have been made to various state government officials. The Union Ministry of Chemicals indicated that the state government has not responded to repeated reminders asking for an update on the progress on commitments made by the State in the meetings of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal. Bhopal survivors have decided to call a nationwide agitation towards the Madhya Pradesh government, and have resolved to not end the strike until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, solidarity fasts by over 10 volunteers with Association for India’s Development and Students for Bhopal are being held in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC since yesterday (March 16) in support of the survivors in Bhopal.
The MP government has dragged its feet in fulfilling a Supreme Court of India order to provide clean water and full federal funding for the project. (pervezbari@eth.net)
Posted by bhola at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2007
Bhopal gas victims demonstrate, vent spleen condemning MP CM
By Pervez Bari, IndianMuslims.Info, March 14, 2007
Bhopal, March 14 (indianMuslims.info): The survivors of the December 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, the world's worst industrial disaster, even after 22 years continue to run from pillar to post to get attention of the authorities for the redressal of their grievances to lead a normal, healthy and a dignified life.
Over 1000 survivors of the Union Carbide pesticide factory disaster, demonstrated in Bhopal in front of the residence of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today against the indifference of the rightist Bharatiya Janata Party, (BJP), ruled State government towards the suffering of the people poisoned by the American multinational. They vent their spleen condemning the Chief Minister for remaining apathetic towards the health conditions of six survivors and supporters who have been on indefinite fast for the last 9 days demanding medical care, economic and social rehabilitation and protection from Union Carbide's poisons. The protestors said that while Union Carbide's poisons are still killing people, survivors are also dying untimely deaths because of the Madhya Pradesh government's failure in providing proper medical care and rehabilitation.
The Bhopal district and police administration were taken by surprise as the demonstrators, mostly women and scores of them being Burqua-clad, marched in the afternoon determined to meet the Chief Minister and confront him with their unending sufferings with no relief, whatsoever, in sight. The police had to hurriedly block the way to Chief Minister's residence about 500 meters away near Bharat Bhavan by parking its four-wheeler vehicles across the road and had to call reinforcement of women personnel to handle the fairer sex who were in great numbers in the rally.
The air rented with slogans like "Shivraj Singh Hosh Mein Aao", "Jeene Ka Huq Leke Rahenge", "Jo Sarkar Jeene Ka Huq De Na Sake Woh Sarkar Nikammi Hai" etc. raised by the survivors in a frenzied tone.
Bhopal gas victims protesting at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister residence by covering themselves with shrouds
Satinath Sarangi, activist in the Bhopal Group for Information and Action leading the protest, talking to newsmen at the site of the demonstration said that it is criminal negligence of the State government not to provide proper succor to the survivors. He said that in the perception of the Bhopal Gas Victims Welfare Minister in the state's BJP government the problem is of Muslim minorities alone residing in the walled city where the killer factory, which spewed venom on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, stands. On this count the government's apathy towards the survivors continues, he pointed out.
"This is totally absurd and against available statistics of the religious denomination residing around the now abandoned factory. Among the victims and survivors of the disaster only about 50 per cent are Muslims while the rest 50 per cent are Hindus and others", Sarangi asserted. "The minister is only interested in to get the residents of new Bhopal, in the remaining 36 wards wherein 90 per cent is Hindu population, as gas-affected", he added.
Syed M Irfan, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, said that the State Government was ignoring the decisions of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal set up by the Prime Minister of India last year for relief and rehabilitation of Bhopal victims. He claimed that it was also guilty of not following the Supreme Court of India's directions in May 2004 till date regarding the supply of safe water to those residing near the abandoned Union Carbide factory where the ground water had been contaminated.
While Union Carbide and its current owner Dow Chemical Company are responsible for the ongoing contamination of ground water, the Madhya Pradesh government shares equal blame for poisoning about 25,000 residents of communities in the vicinity of the abandoned factory. Because of the state government's failure in supplying safe drinking water the residents are forced to consume water that is polluted with cancer and birth defect causing chemicals.
Ms Rashida Bi, one of the survivors on fast, was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize of 125, 000 US dollars in year 2004 for leading the struggle of the survivors of the Bhopal disaster. She has set up the Chingari Trust with this money that is providing medical treatment to children with congenital malformations born to gas exposed parents and those exposed to ground water contamination near the factory. Six family members of Ms Rashida have succumbed to cancer linked to their exposure to Carbide's toxic gases.
Ms Rashida said that the Madhya Pradesh Government's criminal neglect of the plight of the people poisoned by the Union Carbide gas leak was prolonging the suffering of the victims and causing their untimely death.
Guddi Bi and Jabbar Khan, who are also on fast, suffer pain and burning in chest and stomach, giddiness, pain in limbs and other health problems due to their exposure to highly toxic contaminants in the water they drew from their community hand pumps.
Shahzadi Bi, also on fast, is a victim of the disaster in 1984 and has been additionally poisoned since she moved in to a community next to factory some years ago. She suffers from chronic problems such as breathlessness, chest pain, diminished vision, headache and body ache as a result of her toxic exposure. She has not been able to do any physical work because of her exposure induced illnesses.
Ms Rachna Dhingra and Satinath Sarangi, both activists in the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, are also on fast in solidarity with the struggle of the survivors. Rachna was a IT consultant in the USA who left her job in 2002 to come and join the struggle of the Bhopal survivors. Satinath, who has a Masters degree in Engineering, came to Bhopal right after the disaster and has been involved with relief, research and campaign activities for the past 22 years.
The health of all six persons on fast are being monitored by doctors from the Gandhi Medical College and the latest reports show gross reduction in weight, lowering of blood pressure, increasing pulse rates and abnormalities in their blood and urine tests.
Meanwhile, it may be recalled here that in a sudden move about one hundred agitating survivors on March 4 last had gate-crashed into Chief Minister Chouhan's residence and staged a lie-in in front of it to draw his attention to the ongoing "dharna". The survivors, most of them women, lay on the road opposite the entrance to the Chief Minister's residence covering themselves with "shrouds" (white sheets). Bhopal police arrested nine people, including five women, who were later released.
Supporters of the Bhopal struggle from all over the world have been calling up the Chief Minister's and Chief Secretary's office expressing concern over the deteriorating condition of the hunger strikers. The Chief Minister who had earlier promised to accept all "logical and lawful" demands of the Bhopal survivors remains to respond to the specific demands of the protestors even after nine days of fast.
The charter of demands of survivors also included making arrangements for medical treatment of victims, providing jobs, supplying pure water and disposing of chemical waste accumulated in the now-closed Union Carbide factory premises.
It may be mentioned here that the agitation for the gas survivors is being heralded by four NGOs working for their welfare. They are Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information & Action and Bhopal Ki Aawaaz. (pervezbari@eth.net)
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Gas-hit demonstrate at CM house
Staff Reporter, Central Chronicle, March 15, 2007
Bhopal, Mar 14: Over 1000 survivors of the Union Carbide disaster, protesting against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards the suffering of the people, on Wednesday, demonstrated in front of the residence of the Chief Minister. They bitterly criticised the Chief Minister for remaining apathetic towards the health condition of the six supporters who have been fasting for the last 9 days, demanding medical care, economic and social rehabilitation and protection from UC poisons.
The protestors said that while Union Carbide's poisons are still killing people, the survivors are also dying untimely deaths because of the state government's failure in providing proper medical care and rehabilitation.
Goldman environmental prize winner Rasheeda Bi, Guddi Bi, Jabbar Khan, Shahjad Bi, Rachna Dhingra and Satinath Sarangi on indefinite fast for the last nine days. The health of all the six persons on fast are being monitored by doctors from the Gandhi Medical College and according to the latest reports the health of all the six is deteriorating.
It may be mentioned here that the chief minister, who had earlier promised to accept all `logical and lawful' demands of the gas affected remains to respond to the specific demands of the protestors even after nine days of fast.
Posted by jennifer at 06:36 PM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2007
Survivors claim demands 'logical'
Staff Reporter, The Pioneer, Bhopal, March 12, 2007
The representatives of the four survivors' organisations on Sunday attempted to establish logic behind all the demands made by them after the Chief Minister's assurance on Saturday that all logical and lawful demands of protesters would be met.
Meanwhile, four more people joined the ongoing hunger strike to express their solidarity with Bhopal gas survivors. A representative of one of the four survivors' organisations Rachna Dhingra told The Pioneer that all the demands regarding medical care, economic and social rehabilitation and protection from Union Carbide's poisons are logical. She tried to establish the logic behind the demands before the mediapersons.
Two women from Mahila Manch - Tultul and Rinchih - also joined the fasting people along with two gas victims, Champa Devi and Kailashi Sharma.
Demands of protesting gas victims include free treatment to residents of communities near the Union Carbide factory where groundwater got contaminated after the tragedy, scrap Rogi Kalyan Samiti, fill vacant posts of specialists, physicians, paramedicals,technicians and other workers, implement Drug Policy for gas relief hospitals, increase budgetary allocation by at least five times on ayurvedic, unani, homeopathic and yoga treatment, ensure adequacy in diagnostic and other equipment at the gas relief hospitals, ensure beginning of employment generation for 10,000 survivors of the disaster in the Special Industrial Area, social support and protection from Union Carbide's poisons.
Posted by jennifer at 02:20 PM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2007
Chouhan assures to accept logic, lawful demands
Staff Reporter, Central Chronicle, Bhopal, March 11, 2007
Bhopal, Mar 10: On the 19th day of `Right to Live' dharna and the 6th day of the indefinite fast by the people poisoned by Union Carbide and their supporters, the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Saturday assured a delegation of the gas affected that all their ``logic and lawful'' demands would be considered. The chief minister has also urged the delegation to end the indefinite fast.
The four organisations leading the agitation - Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Bhopal Ki Aawaaz - informed the chief minister that all of their demands were indeed logical and lawful and that they would end the fast only after their demands were accepted.
Earlier, at a meeting with the Director of Gas Relief in which detailed discussions were held regarding medical care, economic, social and environment rehabilitation, the official concluded that the demand put forth b the survivor organisations were indeed logical.
The delegation also held a two-hour meeting today with the Principal Secretary of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation along with Collector, Commissioner Bhopal, Bhopal Municipal Corporation and other officials. The principal secretary admitted failure on the part of the government in providing proper medical care and adequate rehabilitation. He assured the delegation that he would prepare a note on the basis of discussion on each of the demands for the chief minister by March 12.
Meanwhile, the six people on fast have lost 4 to 9 kg of body weight and are secreting Ketone and Protein in their urine. On the advice and insistence of Dr HH Trivedi, they have started taking electrolytes in water from this evening.
Posted by jennifer at 07:54 AM | Comments (0)
March 08, 2007
Gas victims stage demo, seek CM's intervention
Staff Reporter, The Pioneer, Bhopal, March 8, 2007
Survivors of the Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal on Wednesday blocked traffic in one of the main city crossings and demonstrated to protest against the apathetic attitude of the State Government towards the suffering of the people affected by the American multinational's poisonous chemicals.
The protest sought to draw the attention of the Chief Minister towards the ongoing indefinite fast by six survivors and their supporters for relief and rehabilitation of the survivors of the disaster and those exposed to ground water contamination due to hazardous waste from the factory.
This evening a delegation consisting of Com D Raja, general secretary of the Communist Party of India, Professor Suroopa Mukherjee and Shalini Sharma met with Ramvilas Paswan, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers on behalf of the four organisations who are leading the campaign of the Bhopal survivors.
During the discussion with the delegation, Paswan called up the survivors on fast and ensured them that on Thursday he will talk to the Prime Minister on the problems of Bhopal gas survivors. Gas survivors are demanding that Chief Minister meets with them.
This morning the fasting protestors claimed that they refused to meet with Minister of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation, Babulal Gaur who had sent word through an officer.
They said that the Minister had shown nothing but indifference towards the survivors and was more a part of the problem than the solution.
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Posted by jennifer at 08:16 AM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2007
Gas disaster survivors on fast in Bhopal
The Peninsula On-line, IANS, Bhopal, March 6
Four survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster are on an indefinite fast here to demand healthcare and economic rehabilitation for thousands of people affected by toxic fumes that emanated from the now-defunct Union Carbide pesticide plant more than 22 years ago.
The hunger strike, which began on Monday, is part of their campaign Jeene Ka Haq (Right to Live) to mark the first anniversary of their protest march from Bhopal to New Delhi in support of their demands.
The campaign, which began 12 days ago, is also demanding social support for the survivors and their families, safe drinking water and removal of hazardous waste from the plant site. The participants include Rashida Bee, who had lost six family members to cancer for having inhaled the noxious fumes. A winner of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, she suffers from chronic physical and mental problems.
The others are Guddi Bee and Jabbar Khan, who live next to the Union Carbide factory and are suffering due to contaminated ground water. The fourth is Shehazadi Bee, who was exposed to the toxic gases in 1984 and later to the contaminated water when she moved close to the factory.
Rachna Dhingra and Satinath Sarangi, who have been working along with the survivors for the last several years to get them relief, have also joined them. On the night of December 2, 1984, over 40 tonnes of lethal Methyl Iso-Cyanate (Mic) gas spewed out of the Union Carbide plant, killing more than 3,000 people instantly and maiming thousands others for life. More than 15,000 affected people have since died.
The leaders of various gas-survivors' organisations, including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Bhopal Ki Aawaaz, want the state government to ensure that the toxic waste is not allowed to contaminate surrounding areas and the survivors are provided safe drinking water, as directed by the Supreme Court.
Posted by jennifer at 08:06 AM | Comments (0)
March 06, 2007
Representatives of Bhopal tragedy survivors on hunger strike
Bureau Report, Zee News, Bhopal, March 5, 2007
Six representatives of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors today began an indefinite hunger strike demanding free medical care, economic and social rehabilitation of victims and safe disposal of toxins stored at the Union Carbide factory here.
The strike here was part of an ongoing 'right to live' campaign launched by four organisations fighting for the victims and those affected by alleged ground water contamination near the Union Carbide factory.
Besides medical care and complete rehabilitation, the protestors also demanded monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to families who have children born with congenital malformations caused by toxic exposure of their parents.
The organisations have also asked the Madhya Pradesh government to make arrangements for containment of toxic waste, supply of safe drinking water in the area and build wall around the factory.
Posted by jennifer at 09:55 AM | Comments (0)
Fighting for a cause
Bindu Shajan Perappandan, The Hindu, New Delhi, March 5, 2007
A woman who rolled out `beedies', Rashida Bee was turned into an activist by the Bhopal gas tragedy that saw her lose six members of her family, says Bindu Shajan Perappadan
Rashida Bee would have continued rolling out "beedies'' from her small hut in Bhopal had it not been for the night of December 2, 1984.
An illiterate young girl married to a tailor at the age of 13, the horrifying night of the Bhopal gas tragedy made her an activist who went on to win the coveted Goldman Environment Prize for leading the Bhopal survivors in their over two-decade-long struggle for justice.
"The people who died that night were lucky. The pesticide plant that spewed poisonous gas turned our lives upside down. Humanity died that night. People lost their families and friends, mothers left their children behind and young girls locked up in their homes for safety were forgotten and later found dead,'' says Rashida, recalling the night that changed so many lives.
Rashida was in the Capital this week to announce an indefinite hunger strike beginning March 5 by representatives of survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Madhya Pradesh. They are demanding proper medical care, adequate economic and social rehabilitation and protection from Union Carbide's poisons.
"We are still paying for being in Bhopal when the gas tragedy happened. Even today there are children who are born with birth defects and people don't want to marry into families that were affected by the gas. Now two decades later some villages affected by the gas tragedy continue to drink contaminated water. Health facilities are not up to the mark and families still have no stable source of income. The Government knows the plight of the people here, but has opted to turn a blind eye,'' says Rashida.
Not a night to forget in one lifetime, Rashida says that while the night of December 2 was horrible, it was the sight at the city hospital two days later that left her shaken.
"My husband had gone missing that fateful night and later somebody told us that they had spotted him in the nearby hospital. I went there to look for him and I saw a pile of dead bodies with relatives falling over each other searching to claim the bodies of their loved ones. I froze thinking that my husband could be in that pile of dead bodies. Blood and vomit was everywhere and sound of people in pain added to the horror that was being played out in that hospital room. Standing there horrified at the scene, I saw my husband sitting in a corner vomiting blood. We took him away from the hospital, where doctors were still not clear on how to treat those admitted. Though he survived that night, he hasn't been able to regain complete use of his limbs. We thus lost our only source of stable income. Six members of our family died later due to the adverse effects of the poison gas,'' says Rashida.
Now continuing to fight for the cause of those affected, she says that the Government's apathy has been the main hindrance for the people of Bhopal in getting justice.
"At least 50,000 survivors today are unable to earn a livelihood because of their exposure related sickness and the compensation amounts people received were inadequate to even pay for routine medical care expenses. There are thousands of families that continue to live below the poverty line, with no earning members (either due to sickness or death) and with children with congenital deformities who are in dire need of social security,'' she says.
Speaking about her work and how a housewife became an activist, Rashida says: "Call it survival instinct, we had no choice but to fight and demand that we be compensated for the wrong done to us. My friend Champa Devi Shukla along with some other women started a protest group. We want to be heard and compensated. We want our lives back. We aren't asking for something that isn't due and though the Government claims to have spent several crores there are many who haven't received much of that benefit. The condition is such that the Madhya Pradesh Government is ignoring the Supreme Court of India's orders regarding supply of safe drinking water to the people living in the contaminated areas. It has not implemented any of the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee set up by the Supreme Court for looking after the health care system. Things need to be changed and I believe that women are capable of bringing about a positive change.''
Posted by jennifer at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2007
Bhopal gas victims stage 'die-in' at chief minister's house
From correspondents in Madhya Pradesh, India, 09:02pm
Hundreds of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors here Saturday -the tenth day of their 'Jeene Ka Haq' (Right to Live) campaign - staged a 'die-in' at the Chief Minister's House to draw the attention of Shivraj Singh Chouhan towards their plight.
Demanding proper healthcare and economic rehabilitation from the state government, the survivors, most of who were women wrapped in white saris (coffin wear), lay outside Chouhan's residence from where they were taken away to jail by the police.
The disaster occurred on the night of Dec 2, 1984, when over 40 tonnes of lethal Methyl Iso-Cyanate (MIC) spewed out of the American multinational Union Carbide Corporation's (UCC) pesticide plant instantly killing over 3,000 people and maiming thousands for life. More than 15,000 people affected with exposure to the toxic gas have died since then.
The survivors have been staging demonstration for the past nine days to mark the first anniversary of their protest march from Bhopal to New Delhi in support of their demands.
The campaign has been launched to push for the resolution of their long-pending demands including healthcare, economic rehabilitation and social support for the survivors and their families, availability of safe drinking water and removal of hazardous waste from the UCC's now-defunct plant.
Leaders of various gas-survivors' organisations -- including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh (BGPMSKS), Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha (BGPMPSM), Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA) and Bhopal Ki Aawaaz (BKA) -- condemned what they called the state government's indifference towards the suffering of affected survivors.
'Madhya Pradesh government's criminal indifference towards the plight of those poisoned by the Union Carbide gas leak was prolonging the suffering of the victims and causing untimely deaths. The die-in would serve as a stark reminder to the chief minister about the state government's duties towards the victims,' said Rashida Bee, Golden Peacock award winner, fighting for the cause of survivors.
Rashida, who has lost six members of his family to cancer and is herself undergoing treatment for exposure-related illnesses, further said: 'I and my fellow activists are prepared to die to assert the right to life of the victims of Union Carbide.'
Sangharsh Morcha president Syed M. Irfan said: 'The state government was ignoring the decisions of the Coordination Committee on Bhopal set up by the prime minister last year for relief and rehabilitation of Bhopal victims. It was also guilty of not following the directions of the Supreme Court regarding supply of safe water to the communities next to the abandoned Union Carbide factory that are affected by ground water contamination.'
The organisations also announced a 'Black Holi' Sunday as a mark of condemnation against the state government's apathy. They have urged survivors of the disaster to play Holi with black colour keeping in mind the fact that a group of survivors and their supporters will begin an indefinite fast from March 5.
'The state government is not only negligent towards the victims but it is also colluding with the corporations responsible for the disaster by attempting to incinerate part of the hazardous waste kept within the UCC factory. It has even sought Rs.20 million from the central government for the purpose,' alleged Champa Devi, who was awarded the Golden Peacock for her services to the victims.
Posted by bhola at 05:44 PM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2007
Bhopal gas tragedy survivors threaten stir to press demands
Staff Reporter, The Hindu, March 2, 2007
The survivors have been demanding clean drinking water, medicare
# Madhya Pradesh "obstructing" rehabilitation of survivors
# "Supreme Court orders ignored"
NEW DELHI: Representatives of the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors have threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike in Bhopal from March 5 if their long-pending demands are not immediately met.
The demands include clean drinking water, adequate medical care and social rehabilitation.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Union Carbide gas disaster survivor and winner of Goldman Environmental Prize, Rashida Bee, charged the Madhya Pradesh Government with obstructing medical care and rehabilitation of the survivors.
"We have been sitting on dharna for the past many days in the Capital, but we are yet to get any assurance from Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister about the welfare of those affected. The State Government is ignoring the Supreme Court orders regarding supply of safe water to the people living in the contaminated areas and has not implemented any of the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee set up by the Supreme Court for supervising the Government health care system. We are now forced to go on an indefinite hunger strike," said Ms. Rashida Bee.
The victims are demanding proper health care, economic rehabilitation, social support, protection from Union Carbide's poisons and a responsive administration.
"We are demanding that the most basic means of survival be provided to those affected."
Apart from the multinational corporation Union Carbide and its new dispensation Dow Chemical, the Central and State Governments are responsible for the fallouts of the disaster that struck 22 years ago, said Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.
The Madhya Pradesh Government had spent close to Rs. 500 crore in the name of relief and rehabilitation, but survivors still did not have proper medical care or adequate rehabilitation, he said.
Posted by bhola at 11:23 PM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2007
Bhopal survivors threaten indefinite hunger strike
Press Trust of India, New Delhi, March 1, 2007
Survivors of the Bhopal gas leak tragedy on Thursday threatened to go on an indefinite hunger-strike if their long-pending demands of cleaning up of the environment, clean drinking water, medical care and social rehabilitation were not immediately met.
Representatives of the survivors, who have been on protest in Bhopal, charged the Madhya Pradesh government with obstructing medical care and rehabilitation. They said that the survivors have decided to go on an indefinite fast from March 5, 2007.
"We have been sitting on dharna for the last many days but neither Chief Minister Shiv Raj Chouhan nor his officials have met us," Rashida Bi, a survivor of the Union Carbide gas tragedy and winner of Goldman Environmental Prize told in New Delhi.
She alleged that a special coordination committee on Bhopal, which was set up at the behest of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the previous year, was yet to start implementation of key decisions taken regarding relief and rehabilitation.
Satinath Sarangi from Bhopal Group of Information and Action claimed that 22 years after the disaster, more than 100,000 survivors were suffering from chronic problems such as breathlessness, cerebral palsy and acute deformities.
"But in the absence of monetary help for medical needs from the state, their agony has only worsened," said Sarangi.
Posted by bhola at 02:01 PM | Comments (0)