Information on Padyatris

  1. Name: Mohammed Salim.
  2. Age: 40 years.
  3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected [details]: I am affected by both gas and contaminated water but the water has done more damage.
  4. Address [present and in 1984]: At the time of the gas leak my address was House No. 84, New Market, Roshanpura. Now I live at House No. 977, Annu Nagar, Bhopal.
  5. Occupation [in 1984 and now]: In 1984 I worked as a gate keeper at Rang Mahal Talkies presently I work as a commercial painter.
  6. Life worries [indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood]: My wife is sick, we are 6 members in the family and income is less.
  7. Income and source of income: If I get work then I earn about Rs. 100.00 a day.
  8. Compensation amount and how was it utilized: I have not received any compensation.
  9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbours, cause of death, date of death: The day after the gas leak on 5th December 1984 my brother died. And I was vomiting because of exposure to the gas.
  10. Illness due to disaster: My blood pressure goes up, I am not able to see properly and get panic attacks.
  11. Current illness [due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water]: Nowadays I suffer from pain in the knees. I am not able to lift weights of even 5 kilos and I feel very weak all the time.
  12. Association with organizations: I am involved with the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.
  13. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, fasts, how many, when was the first time, where was it Bhopal and elsewhere: I have participated in 6 or 7 rallies with the contaminated water affected people. I had also gone to Delhi in 2005.
  14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: When I had gone for demonstration with the water affected people to the office of the Director I was beaten up by the police.
  15. Activities [other than participating in protests] for improvement of the condition of survivors: Even if I am called in the middle of the night I go and help whoever is in need.
  16. Expectations from the Padyatra: Seeing the enthusiasm with which we are going to Delhi, I am sure that the problems faced by the gas victims will be reduced to a large extent.
  17. Worries if any: I have no worries at all about the padyatra.

Mohd. Salim.

11th February 2006.

Mohammed Salim, 40 years

Mohammed is disabled after he was in an accident five months ago when a Maruti car struck him and broke his leg badly. He still limps and is in pain all the time. Despite this he is in the march and has no worries about it . Here is his story.

I used to live in the Banganga area near New Market at the time of the disaster. So though i got exposed to the poisonous gases i wasn’t exposed so badly. I am more sick from the water than from the gas. I came to Annu Nagar in 1994. In Banganga i had to pay rent, in Annu Nagar I thought we would have our own house in Annu Nagar. I knew nothing about the poisons in the ground water there. At first it was difficult to drink that water and hold it down but gradually we got used to it. I came to know about the poisons in 2002 when the campaigners came to collect brooms for the demonstration at the Dow headquarters.

Two years after i moved in to Annu Nagar i started falling sick. I had severe pain in my side and had to be hospitalised. i was admitted for three months in Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital then the doctors referred me to Hamidia Hospital.

In 1984 I worked as a gate keeper at Rang Mahal Talkies and presently I work as a commercial painter.

I worry about my wife who remains sick often.

If I get work, I earn about Rs. 100.00 a day.

I have not received any compensation.

The day after the gas leak, on 5th December 1984, my brother died. And I was vomiting because of exposure to the gas. Today i suffer from hypertension. My blood pressure goes up, I am not able to see properly and get panic attacks. Nowadays I suffer from pain in the knees. I am not able to lift weights of even 5 kilos and I feel very weak all the time.

I am involved with the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

I have participated in 6 or 7 rallies with the contaminated water affected people. I had also gone to Delhi in 2005.

When I had gone for demonstration with the water affected people to the office of the Director I was beaten up by the police.

Even in the middle of the night I go and help whoever is in need. Seeing the enthusiasm with which we are going to Delhi, I am sure that the problems faced by the gas victims will be reduced to a large extent. I have no worries at all about the padyatra.