Chhoté Khan

The first demontstration i went to was on December 7, 1984. i went from Rajgarh Colony. There were 50 people from my basti with us. We went with Ayub bhai who was a BJP leader and Anees bhai who was the local Congress party leader. There were 700 of us from JP Nagar, Kainchi Chhola, Chhola Mandir and Phoota Maqbara. We went marching to the Chief Minister’s residence. We demanded medical care because there was no government arrangement for medical relief. We demanded that the government take care of us, drive away the company and punish the company. We demanded that the government should make the company pay for the damages caused. Ayub Bhai and Anees bhai met with the Chief Minister who said he was making arrangements for medical care but these turned out to be just empty promises.

Then on 16th December i and about two hundred others went on a demonstration to the Governor’s residence. Sathyu and others in the Zahreeli Gas Kand Sangharsh Morcha led that demo. We demanded information on the disaster and its health effects, once again we demanded medical care. I went to many demonstrations after that.

In 1984 I used to live in Rajgarh Colony which is 500 meters south-west of the Union Carbide factory. After the gas i used to have attacks of acute breathlessness, my eyes burned all the time, for 8 days i could not leave my bed. i was vomiting green stuff all the time.

In 1993 after the communal riots i moved with my family to Blue Moon colony. We had no money so i sold off my house in Rajgarh Colony and moved to Blue Moon. I did not know that the water there had poisons in it. It tasted horrible and smelled strong but we never thought there could be chemicals in it.

I used to carry loads in the vegetable market. After the disaster I could work for 2 days at a time only, then for the next 8 days i would be sick. Since the disaster i have never been able to work enough to support my family.

My grandson Pappu died 2 days after the disaster. He was just days old when he died. My mother Shakina Bee died after prolonged suffering due to the gas. My daughter’s father-in-law Rasoool Khan who lived in Chhola died two years after the disaster. Three years back my grand daughter Farheen fell very sick. I do not know what her sickness was but the doctor said she needed a blood transfusion. My wife and son gave her blood but we could not save her. She died. My daughter-in-law had a miscarriage when she was five months pregnant.

Because of the poison in the water all in my family are sick. This is what keeps me worried all the time.

I have lots of expectations from this walk. We hope to win our demand of employment in accordance with our health condition.