- Name: Ganesh Prasad
- Age: 73
- Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details): I am affected by the gas leak from the Carbide factory as well as contaminated water due to the leak. Because of this, I have respiratory and physiological medical problems and pains on many parts of my body. All these symptoms were vividly apparent within one year after the gas leak.
- Address: I lived in Adarsh Nagar, Kachi Chhola, Ward No. 2 , House 149/A, Bhopal. This is where I lived during the time of the gas leak.
- Occupation: Currently, I am a Pandit in the temple. Prior to this, I was working in a hotel in Kechi Chola. I had to quit this job because of weakness due to effects of the gas.
- Life Worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood): I do not have any debts but I worry about all the children who have been suffering from various illnesses due to the gas leak and water contamination.
- Income and sources of income: As a Pandit in the temple, I make Rs. 50 / day.
- Amount of compensation and how it was utilized: In 1984, I received Rs. 3000 from the police station at Mangalwara. After this, I received Rs. 200 / month for 10 years. In 1998, I was granted Rs. 25,000 in compensation. But only Rs.12,500 was given and the remaining amount was given monthly installments of Rs. 200 / month. In 2005 I was granted and received another Rs. 25,000. Some of the money I received was used for medicine and treatments. Around Rs. 11,000 was used to payoff debts owed to my neighbors. I used Rs. 5,500 to open a bicycle shop for my nephew. Another Rs. 8000 was used to search for my son who was found dead in Mumbai.
- Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbors with cause and date of death: In 1994, my mother died due to paralysis. My eldest son died in 1993. My brother-in-law died in 1998 due to suffocation. In 1998, my brother-in-law died from suffocation and my aunt’s son died due to respiratory problems. My sister-in-law’s husband also passed away. In my neighborhood, four men and 3 women died within two years of gas exposure.
- Illness due to disaster: Due to the disaster, I have pain in my legs and hands. As a result, my limbs do not function properly.
- Current illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water): I vomit if I drink water directly. To prevent vomiting, I only drink tea or coffee.
- Association with organizations: I have been associated with the Sambhavna Trust in Bhopal.
- Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, how many, when was the first time and where was it in Bhopal and elsewhere: I have participated in demonstrations where we have burned effigies and I have also been part of three day fasting programmes.
- Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: I have been arrested three times while participating in protests.
- Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors: Aside from participation in demonstrations, I have not been part of any other activities to improve the livelihood of gas leak survivors.
- Expectations from the padyatra: I hope the padyatra will help authorities understand survivors’ afflictions. By better understanding the survivors’ concerns, I hope gas victims get the compensation they need.
- Any worries: I do not have any worries about the padyatra.
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