« May 2005 | Main | July 2005 »

June 22, 2005

Is your government stupid, or corrupt?
Five questions to Chief Minister Babu Lal Gaur

FIVE QUESTIONS TO THE CHIEF MINISTER OF MADHYA PRADESH ABOUT TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE SOIL AND WATER IN AND AROUND THE UNION CARBIDE FACTORY, BHOPAL

[translated from the original Hindi]

Date : 22.06.2005

Question 1.
In the case of death of cattle from poisonous water from Union Carbide factory in 1982, you had played the role of a middleman in settling the case between Union Carbide and the farmers who owned the cattle. For the last 23 years you have been aware that there are deadly chemicals present in the local environment. How could you remain silent on this issue for so long?

Question 2.
If the current work of safe-keeping of chemicals inside the Union Carbide factory is indeed being carried out in a safe and proper manner why is it being done secretively and under the shadow of guns?

Question 3.
Photographs in recent newspapers show that the workers of Ramky Company are working inside the Union Carbide factory without safety equipment. This is a clear violation of the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 1989 and is a punishable offence. What steps have you taken in this regard?

Question 4.
Thousands of people from the communities adjacent to the Union Carbide factory suffered from breathlessness, burning in eyes, dizziness, chest pain, vomitting, panic attacks, swelling in body and other symptoms due to poisonous dust from the factory till yesterday, hundreds had to go to the hospital for their problems. What steps have you taken to stop this disaster being caused deliberately?

Question 5.
It is our accusation that the Madhya Pradesh government is acting on the issue of disposal of chemical waste with undue haste and is carring out the work in an unscientific and illegal manner so that Union Carbide’s new owner, American Dow Chemical can escape its responsibilities of cleaning up the poisons and paying compensation to the people for the health injury caused. Either you do not realize that Dow Company is outside the jurisdiction of India courts and it is nearly impossible to extract reimbursement from this company or you are deliberately misleading the public. We hold that on this issue the Madhya Pradesh government is either being stupid or it is corrupt. What do you have to say in response?

Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
+91 9303132298

Syed M Irfan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
+91 9329026319

Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz
+91 9303122784

Satinath Sarangi
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
+91 9826167369

Contact :
House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha, Bhopal 462 010

Please keep checking www.bhopal.net for the latest information and photographs.

Posted by bhola at 09:22 AM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2005

Politicians' mess to be investigated by Supreme Court representative

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
Bhopal ki Aawaaz

June 20, 2005, PRESS STATEMENT

Four organizations working among the survivors of the December 1984 Union Carbide disaster will present their complaints before the Chairman of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Waste Management, who has agreed to visit Bhopal to gather first hand information on the work of safe keeping of chemicals within the Carbide factory premises. The leaders of the organizations are confident that they will be able to demonstrate to the Chairman that the work inside the Carbide factory was in clear violation of the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 1989 and of established scientific norms.

Meanwhile, over 140 residents of Blue Moon Colony had to take treatment at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital for symptoms ranging from vomiting, burning in eyes, chest pain, dizziness, stomach pain, spasms and palpitations. People in Atal-Ayub Nagar and New Arif Nagar were also badly affected.

Leaders of the organizations who were patrolling around the Union Carbide factory today since morning stopped the work of borewell sinking at two locations in Atal Ayub Nagar both within 100 feet of the factory wall. A handpump next to one of the proposed borewells already carries an official warning regarding the poisonous nature of its water.

The leaders said that the sinking of borewells next to the factory and the illegal and unscientific work of safe keeping of chemical waste inside the Carbide factory was part of state government’s design to downplay the hazards of the chemical waste and the problem of ground water contamination. These acts, they assert, are aimed at helping the Dow Chemical Company, current owner of the absconding Union Carbide Corporation, escape its liabilities for the clean-up of both the factory premises and the groundwater and soil near the factory.

Commenting on the Minister of Gas Relief’s statement of yesterday that the government will make Dow pay for the clean-up, Rashida Bee, President of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, said that the Minister either does not understand the legal hurdles in extracting money from Dow, USA since it is outside the jurisdiction of the Indian courts or he is deliberately misleading people. "He is either stupid or corrupt or both", she said. Either way, the groups allege, he will end up taking the money from the Indian taxpayer.

Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
+91 9303132298

Syed M Irfan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
+91 9329026319

Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz
+91 9303122784

Satinath Sarangi
Bhopal Group for Information and Action

Contact :
House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha, Bhopal 462 010

Please keep checking www.bhopal.net for latest information and photographs.

Posted by bhola at 04:53 PM | Comments (0)

June 19, 2005

Contractor admits in writing that chemical dust can harm local people

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
Bhopal ki Aawaaz

June 19, 2005

PRESS STATEMENT

Leaders of four organizations working among the survivors of the December 1984 Union Carbide disaster this afternoon led a march of over 200 neighbourhood residents into the Union Carbide factory premises where the work of "safe-keeping" chemicals has been going on for the last four days. They gheraoed* the Managing Director of Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd, the Hyderabad based company that is responsible for the unsafe work which has exposed local people to toxic chemical dust.

The gherao was lifted only after the MD gave a written statement in which he admitted that the chemicals cause nausea, headache and muscular spasms and “can cause ill effects on surrounding community.”The MD assured the demonstrators that he would write to the state government that unless the government made arrangements for the safety of local people his company would not continue with the work.

At least 36 people including children from New Arif Nagar, Annu Nagar, Blue Moon Colony, Atal-Ayub Nagar and other communities were seriously affected this morning by chemical dust escaping from the factory. The majority of those affected complained of burning in the eyes, dizziness, chest pain, vomiting, stomach pains, swollen faces and palpitations. Noorjehan [35] from New Arif Nagar was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital with acute respiratory distress.

The leaders condemned the manhandling inside the Carbide factory of Mr Shuriah Niazi, correspondent of Sahara News, by the officer in charge of Gautam Nagar police station. The leaders also condemned the visit of the Minister of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation to the factory this morning, accompanied by Aloke Pratap Singh, a man widely believed by survivors to be a stooge of Dow Chemical.

The leaders have resolved to intensify their protests if the MD of Ramky Ltd. fails to keep his promise to ensure the safety of the communities near the factory.

*gherao: a Hindi word meaning to surround, or shut in.

PLEASE READ THE EXTENDED ARTICLE FOR A LIST OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE CHEMICAL CLOUD

Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
9303132298
Syed M Irfan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9329026319
Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz
9303122784
Satinath Sarangi
Bhopal Group for Information and Action

Contact :
House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha, Bhopal 462 010

Please check this website for latest information and photographs.

Partial list of neighbourhood residents affected by chemical dust from Union Carbide factory on June 19, 2005
S. No.	Name	Age (years)	Address	Complaints
1.	Varsha d/o Jagannath Sahu	13	Shivashakti Nagar	Burning in eyes
2.	Ram Bai w/o Phool Singh	35	Prem Nagar	Burning in eyes, Dizziness, Palpitations
3.	Shahadat Bee w/o Rais Khan	40	Annu Nagar	Dizziness, Palpitations
4.	Salma Bee w/o Abdul Rehman	40	Annu Nagar	Dizziness, Palpitations
5.	Gulab Bai w/o Ramesh Ahirwar	30	Shivashakti Nagar	Burning in eyes, Palpitations, Breathlessness
6.	Krishna Bai w/o Kalyan Singh	30	Shivashakti Nagar	Vomiting, Palpitations, Burning in eyes
7.	Mubeena w/o Naseem Khan	30	New Arif Nagar	Stomach pain, Burning in stomach, Palpitations
8.	Bismilla Bee w/o Babu Khan	40	New Arif Nagar	Dizziness, Nausea, Palpitations, Burning sensation all over body
9.	Noorjehan w/o Munne Khan	40	Arif Nagar	Frothing in mouth, Dizziness
10.	Afroze w/o Sarfaraaz	32	New Arif Nagar	Breathlessness, Palpitations, Dizziness
11.	Ibrahim Khan s/o Khaleel Khan	44	Arif Nagar	Burning in eyes, Palpitations
12.	Adesh s/o Devkaran	5	Blue Moon Colony	Swelling in face, Vomiting, Frequent micturation
13.	Shezadi Bee w/o Mehfuz Khan	48	Blue Moon Colony	Chest pain, dizziness, Burning in eyes
14.	Tulsa Bai w/o Ghisajee	60	Blue Moon Colony	Burning in eyes, Palpitations
15.	Shehnaaz w/o Sher Khan	35	Blue Moon Colony	Headache, Burning in eyes, Palpitations
16.	Haseena Bee w/o Muneer Khan	35	Blue Moon Colony	Burning in eyes, Palpitations
17.	Junez s/o Javed	3	Blue Moon Colony	Swelling in face, Cough, Vomiting
18.	Rehnuma d/o Javed	1.5	Blue Moon Colony	Swelling in face, Cough, Vomiting

Posted by bhola at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)

June 17, 2005

Bhopal gassed again

Press Statement from
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
Bhopal Group for Information and Action
Bhopal ki Aawaaz

In a press conference today, four organizations active on the issues of the Union Carbide December ’84 disaster in Bhopal opposed the surreptitious and unsafe manner in which the safe-keeping of chemical waste within the Union Carbide factory is being carried out. While the organizations were in favour of implementation of the High Court’s directions regarding protecting the chemical waste from the ensuing rains they alleged that up to 10,000 residents of four neighbouring communities were exposed to toxic dust of Hexachlorocyclohexane [HCH] and other chemicals as a result of the work carried out yesterday.

The organizations also presented a copy of an open letter sent to the Chairman, MP Pollution Control Board Dr. P S Dubey in which they have questioned the competence of the Hyderabad based firm M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd. The letter supported by documents also raises questions regarding Dr. Dubey’s suspicious connections with private companies such as M/s Lupin Laboratories and his suitability as the regulating authority for the work within the Carbide factory. A copy of this letter along with documents has been submitted to the Superintendents of Police, Economic Offences Wing and Central Bureau of Investigation for necessary action.

A letter faxed to the Chairman, Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes by the Chairman of the Local Area Environmental Committee, Mr. Satish Tewari was also presented at the press conference. In the letter, Mr Tewari testified to the toxic exposure of the neighbouring residents and called for the immediate intervention of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee to ensure that the work carried out under the charge of the Department of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief & Rehabilitation is carried out in a transparent manner, and that those residing in the neighbourhood of the factory are not exposed to health risks.

The organizations pointed out that the firm selected for this work by Mr. Dubey - M/s Ramky Ltd - has only five years experience of handling hazardous wastes and is known to have imposed risks on public health during a number of previous waste management projects in the country. According to them, the Managing Director of the firm, Dr KSN Rao has shown that he has no idea of the antidotes that would be required in the event of toxic exposure of workers involved in the work inside the Union Carbide factory, much less of those breathing the dust nearby.

The organizations have resolved to continue with their peaceful agitation in front of the Union Carbide factory against the unsafe work carried out within the factory in a surreptitious manner.

Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
+91 9303132298

Syed M Irfan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
+91 9329026319

Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz
+91 9303122784

Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra,
Bhopal Group for Information and Action

Contact: House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha, Bhopal 462 010

Read our open letters to the Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Chairman, Supreme Court Monitoring Committee.

LETTER TO CHAIRMAN, MADHYA PRADESH POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

URGENT OPEN LETTER
To,
Dr. P S Dubey
Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board
Paryawaran Parisar
E-5, Arera Colony,
Bhopal 462 016
June 17, 2005

Sub : Questions requiring your urgent response

Dear Dr. Dubey,

As we have communicated to you orally, we four organizations active on the lingering issues of the December ’84 Union Carbide disaster are appalled at the surreptitous manner in which the work of safe-keeping of chemical waste inside the Union Carbide factory premises was carried out yesterday, under your supervision. We are equally appalled at your deliberate neglect regarding the spread of airborne hazardous dust from the Union Carbide factory during this work, affecting at least four neighbourhood communities with an estimated total population of 10, 000 residents. This exposure, you must know, is a direct result of the unsafe manner in which this work is being carried out by M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd, Hyderabad a company you have selected on considerations that remain secret.

We are attaching a letter sent by the Chairman, Local Area Environment Committee to the Chairman, Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Waste Management [Annexure I] that, we think, raises serious questions regarding your competence and integrity as a Regulatory Authority for the above mentioned work.

Question 1. If the work of safe-keeping of chemicals is being carried out following standard protocols why are you denying access to observers?
Question 2. How do you justify your inaction regarding the exposure of about 10, 000 people to such dangerous chemical as Hexachloro cyclohexane due to the work carried out by M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd, Hyderabad?

Meanwhile, we have received information regarding some of your other involvements and would like to present you with a number of questions that are not directly connected to this issue but are relevant in that they underline your unsuitability not only as the Regulatory Authority for the work inside the Union Carbide factory, but also as the Chairman of the Pollution Control Board. As you will notice we have also annexed a number of interesting documents that form the background to our questions.

A document submitted by the Vikram University, Ujjain, to the University Grants Commission [Annexure II] shows that for many years you have been working for Grasim Industries, Vikram Cement, Aditya Cement and other private companies in projects costing lakhs of rupees. The document also shows that you were still working for Vikram Cement, Aditya Cement, Grasim Industry and other companies as late as 2002, when you were appointed as Chairman of the MP Pollution Control Board. We see a direct conflict of interest between your business interests and your role as Regulatory Authority here, and to the best of our knowledge such professional involvement of the Chairman Pollution Control Board with private business is expressly prohibited by specific Parliamentary Acts of our country. It is also a matter of interest that Vikram Cement, Grasim Industries and other companies you have been associated were chosen by you for the Environmental Awards in 2004.

Question 3. How do you justify your professional involvement with private companies as Chairman of the State Pollution Control Board?
Question 4. Which are the private companies that you continue to be involved with either as a paid consulatant or honorary advisor?
Question 5. Is it only incidental that companies that you have been associated with happen to be the ones that are reciepients of Environmental Awards?

A letter sent on your behalf on June 30, 2004 to M/s Lupin Laboratories, Mandideep [Annexure III] directs the company to close its factory for improper management of hazardous wastes. The letter further prohibits the restarting of the factory till the company makes arrangements for proper management of hazardous waste and obtains authorization under the Hazardous waste [Management & Handling] Rules 1989. Another letter sent to the same company [Annexure IV] on July 13, 2004 directs the company to restart production. As per our information M/s Lupin Laboratories has created no facility for disposal of hazardous wastes that follows established standards. Further, it has come to our notice that you have had similar correspondence with other companies with factories in Mandideep such as Proctor & Gamble and Eicher Tractors. As per our information both these companies continue to follow extremely unsafe practices for disposal of hazardous waste produced in their factories. Lastly, the firm M/s Lupin Laboratories has been in this business barely five years, and as such has inadequate experience in toxic wast remediation.

Question 6. How is it possible for a company to make arrangements for proper disposal of hazardous wastes in just 13 days when the standard timetable for preparing such facilities is usually several months?
Question 7. What was the basis for your allowing M/s Lupin Laboraties to restart production?

On page no. 52 of the Administrative Submission of the Department of Housing and Environment for the year 2004-2005 [Annexure V] it is mentioned that the MP Pollution Control Board set up 24 static aerators at Ramghat on the river Shipra during Simhasth 2004. We know it for a fact that the actual number of aerators was fewer than 10. Of additional concern is the allegation that you awarded the contract for this work to M/s Environmental Engineering Services, Indore for Rs. 17 lakhs by including higher bids from two fictitous companies.

Question 8. What were the companies (and addresses of their registered offices) that bid for this job and what was the basis for selection of M/s Environmental Engineering Services, Indore?

Documents available with us, in addition to those annexed herein, suggest that the selection of M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd, Hyderabad, for the work of safe-keeping of chemical waste within Union Carbide factory premises was done, by you, in an irregular manner and based on considerations other than their professional competence. We would like you to know that our suspicion does not stem solely from just your past conduct in relation to selection of project executing agencies, but has been primarily caused by the shoddy history of the company you have selected. We are aware that in their Hyderabad and Taloja projects, M/s Ramky did not go through the public hearings mandated by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, and that in both Melakottaiyur and Gummidipoondi in Tamilnadu the hazardous waste landfills built by this company have been located in areas with high water tables and are extremely unsafe.

Question 9. What were the companies that tendered their bids for the work of safe-keeping of hazardous chemical wastes within the Union Carbide factory and what were the terms and conditions for the tenders ?
Question 10. What was the basis of selection of M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd, Hyderabad for the aforementioned work and what are the conditions under which the said company has been offered this work?

Finally we are aware that your tenure as Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board began on January 8, 2002. Accordingly, your tenure has, or should have, ended on January 9, 2005.

Question 11. What are the conditions of your current employment as Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and what decisions, if any, have been taken regarding extension of your tenure, if at all?

We look forward to your answers to the questions raised by us and hope you will be able to send us your responses at the earliest.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Rashida Bi, Champa Devi Shukla
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh
9303132298

Syed M Irfan,
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha
9329026319

Shahid Noor
Bhopal ki Aawaaz
930076038

Satinath Sarangi, Rachna Dhingra,
Bhopal Group for Information and Action

Contact:
House No. 12, Gali No. 2, Near Naseer Masjid, Bag Umrao Dulha, Bhopal 462 010

LETTERS TO CHAIRMAN, SUPREME COURT MONITORING COMMITTEE

MOST URGENT
To,
Dr. G. Thyagarajan, Ph.D., FRSC, FNAE,
Chairman, Supreme Court Monitoring Committee
On Hazardous Waste Management
(Ministry of Environment & Forests)
547, Paryavaran Bhavan,
C.G.O. Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi 110 003. June 16, 2005

Sub : Imposition of risk on the health of residents of neighbourhood communities due to unsafe work practices of Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd. inside the Union Carbide factory premises and lack of transparency in this work being carried out by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

Sir,

As Chairman of the Local area Environmental Committee working to assist the Supreme Court Monitoring CommitteeOn Hazardous Waste Management I wish to bring to your notice the extremely unsafe manner in which the work of safekeeping of chemical wastes is being carried out by Hyderabad based Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd starting from today. At 1 PM today I have personally visited four communities namely, Arif Nagar, New Arif Nagar, Atal-Ayub Nagar and Jai Prakash Nagar with an estimated total population of 10, 000 and confirmed that the residents of these communities are being exposed to airborne pollutants [possibly benzene Hexachloride] emnating from the Union Carbide factory premises as a result of the work being carried out by the said firm.

I would also like to bring to your notice that despite repeated requests I have been kept away from the work that is being carried out under the supervision of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh. I reached the factory gates at about 10 AM and have been in constant communication with the Director, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department. I was directed to meet the Collector for permission to visit the factory premises by the said officer and despite my best efforts this permission remains denied to me at 2 PM.

I strongly urge you to intervene in this matter, stop the unsafe work being currently carried out and ensure that the residents of these communities who suffer from hypersensitivity to chemicals due to their previous exposure to Methyl Isocyanate and other gases during the December ’84 Union carbide disaster are not exposed to hazardous pollutants. I would also like to request you to issue directions so that the work is carried out in a transparent manner and the neighbourhood public can be free from fear and apprehension.

I have apprised Dr Claude Alvares regarding this matter on the phone.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Satish Tewari
Tel : 0755 2730976, Mob : 94250 23953

==========================================================
MOST URGENT
To,
Dr. G. Thyagarajan, Ph.D., FRSC, FNAE,
Chairman, Supreme Court Monitoring Committee
On Hazardous Waste Management
(Ministry of Environment & Forests)
547, Paryavaran Bhavan,
C.G.O. Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi 110 003. June 17, 2005

Sub : Continued exposure of thousands of residents of neighbourhood communities to hazardous chemicals due to unsafe work practices of Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd. inside the Union Carbide factory premises.

Sir,

Further to my letter to you yesterday I much regret to report that unacceptable leakage of airbourne toxins into the communities adjacent to the Union Carbide factory as a result of unsafe and unprofessional work by M/s Ramky Pharma City [India] Ltd has continued today.

I visited the communities of Sundar Nagar, Annu Nagar, Blue Moon Colony and Atal-Ayub Nagar between 1 and 2 PM and found strong smell of Hexachlorocyclohexane in all these communities situated north of the Union Carbide factory. I found the stench to be much stronger than yesterday and am seriously concerned about the effects of such exposure on thousands of people, including children, who reside in these communities.

I must say that I am extremely dismayed to find that you have taken no action with regard to my letter of yesterday either in ensuring the safety of the resident population or to issue directions so that the work inside the factory is carried out in a transparent manner.

I am sending this letter to you as part of my responsibilty as Chairman of Local Area Environmental Committee and because of my concerns for the safety of the people who are being victimized yet again.

I look forward to an early response from you.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Satish Tewari
Tel : 0755 2730976, Mob : 94250 23953

Posted by bhola at 09:19 PM | Comments (0)

June 08, 2005

Bhopal survivors and supporters disgusted with local politicians' cynical "clean up" of the Union Carbide plant

BHOPAL, 1 June 2005: The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal today expressed its outrage at the blatant disrespect for public safety and human rights as evidenced by photographs of workers (Please see footnote 1) sweeping up toxic wastes inside the abandoned Union Carbide factory site.

Far from being equipped with the mandatory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required when dealing with highly toxic wastes, the two migrant workers are visibly defenceless, and worse, accompanied by a barefooted child.

This hasty clean up exercise has been initiated by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) and the Bhopal Gas Relief Cell in preparation for an above-surface containment of the stockpiles of the toxic chemicals that have been lying inside the factory for over two decades.

According to various sources, the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board is keen to finish the first phase of the clean-up by June 20th 2005 before the onset of this monsoon. An order to this effect has been made by the Jabalpur high court.

Rashida Bee of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh said, "We are outraged at the State and Central governments' unsafe plans to dispose of the hazardous chemical waste in and around the abandoned Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. They seem intent on creating yet another disaster in Bhopal."

"The fact that the MPPCB and the Bhopal Gas Relief Cell have chosen to expose migrant labourers to these deadly toxins is a double injustice," asserted Madhumita Dutta of the Corporate Accountability Desk, The Other Media, "It seems to be a deliberate ploy to ensure that these workers, and the certain impact on their health, can never be traced after the so-called safe containment is completed. Is this the government's understanding of accountability?"

"The clean up of the factory site has been a long-pending demand of the Bhopal community and environmental groups, but this callously undertaken exercise is a far cry from the best practices that we expected the government to follow," said Vinuta Gopal, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace India, "The authorities are already in possession of scientific reports and technical guidelines (See footnote 2) for cleaning up the hazardous materials to the best possible standards, and of the high risks involved in a cleanup that does not conform to safety practices. What possible excuse can they have for this criminal disregard for the safety of the workers and the community?"

Ironically, the above-ground containment of the wastes was the only phase of the three-phase proposal that environmental groups had considered acceptable. The second and third phase of the cleanup protocols, especially the proposal to set up a 'secured landfill' have come under severe criticism from several quarters. The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) will be taking up the issue with the Special Task Force for the clean up that has been constituted by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, as also with the National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

The hasty clean-up and medieval technology being employed by the MPPCB runs counter to Government of India's earlier position: On June 23rd 2004 the Government of India, in a communication to US authorities, clearly stated that the 'No-Objection' given by the Government of India grants consent to a US Court, where Union Carbide faces a class action suit brought by survivors, to direct the corporation to clean up the mess it left behind in its plant in Bhopal.

The ICJB is calling on the MPPCB and the Bhopal Gas Relief Cell to call an immediate halt to the dangerous clean up process, until the following demands have been met:

1. That the clean-up plans and protocols be made public immediately and that the government demonstrates a clear mechanism to recover costs from UC.

2. The government should give further positive support to the Class Action Suit in New York to which they already given the "no objection" certification, and hold Union Carbide liable for all costs of a thorough clean-up operation carried out to world standards.

3. That the authorities will allow independent experts, community representatives and NGOs to monitor the containment to ensure complete transparency and accountability, best safety standards for the workers and the communities living around the factory site.

Footnotes
1. Photographs available at http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/
See also http://www.bhopal.net/clean_up_index.html

2. "Technical Guidelines for the Clean up of the Union Carbide Site" available online at http://www.greenpeaceindia.org/

3. For further documents, reports and updates from Bhopal, please continue to visit this website, www.bhopal.net

For further information, please contact:
Madhumita Dutta, Corporate Accountability Desk
mdutta@vsnl.net
+91 11-51652451

Rachna Dhingra, International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
rachna@umich.edu
+91 982 6167369,

Nityanand Jayaraman
nity68@vsnl.com
+91 944 4082401

Vinuta Gopal, Greenpeace India
vgopal@dialb.greenpeace.org
+919845535418

Posted by bhola at 07:11 PM | Comments (0)