The people who tell their stories here are aged between 22 and 90 years old. Some were affected by the 1984 gas leak, others were poisoned by chemicals leaking from Union Carbide's abandoned factory. Some are both gas- and water-affected. All respponded to a simple questionnaire.When they talk about income and what, if any, compensation they have received the figures are given in rupees. On 20th February 2006, the date they set off for Delhi, the rate of exchange was:
                        1 US dollar = 44.37 rupees
                        1 Euro = 52.84 rupees
                        1 UK pound = 77.42 rupees
A rupee was worth 2 US ¢, just under 2 European ¢ and just over one UK penny.

 

CHHOTE KHAN: (65 years]

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.

 

GANESH PRASAD

1. Name:  Ganesh Prasad
   
2. Age:  73
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.
   
6. 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.
   
7. Income and sources of income:  As a Pandit in the temple, I make Rs. 50 / day.
   
8. 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.
   
9. 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.
   
10. 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.
    
11. 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.
    
12. Association with organizations:  I have been associated with the Sambhavna Trust in Bhopal.
    
13. 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.
    
14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits:  I have been arrested three times while participating in protests.
    
15. 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.
    
16. 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. 
    
17. Any worries: I do not have any worries about the padyatra.

 

 

GUDDI BI

1. Name:  Guddi Bi.
   
2. Age: 35 years old.
   
3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details):  Since I have lived in the Blue Moon Colony for the last 10 years, I have been affected by contaminated water due to the gas leak.
   
4. Address:  In 1984, I was living in Pathari (Aanj Basida).  Today, I live in the Blue Moon Colony in Bablu Bhai’s home.
   
5. Occupation:  I have been making quilts since 1984. 
   
6. Life Worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood):  I have small children and the elder boy is very sick with chronic stomach pain and vomiting.
   
7. Income and sources of income:  I make Rs. 25-30 / day by stitching quilts.
   
8. Amount of compensation and how it was utilized:  I did not receive any compensation.
   
9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbors with cause and date of death:  I was not living here during the gas leak and do not know of any deaths of family members due to the gas leak.
   
10. Illness due to disaster:  The drinking water is poisonous.  The water has made my body itch and has given me headaches and body aches.
    
11. Current illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water):  Due to contaminated water, I suffer from vomiting, fever, and body aches.
    
12. Association with organizations:  I am associated with ICJB.
    
13. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, how many, when was the first time and where was it in Bhopal and elsewhere:  I have taken part in rallies and demonstrations.  My first demonstration was at the Vidhan Sabha.
    
14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits:  I was arrested twice by the police.  I was also beaten by the police.
    
15. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors:  I help deliver items to my friends and other survivors.
    
16. Expectations from the padyatra:  I believe that the padyatra will result in getting purer water.
    
17. Any worries:  My children are sick and I will be worried about them while I am gone.

 

 

ISMAIL KHAN

1. Name: Ismail Khan.

2. Age: 22 years.

3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details): I am not affected by the gas leak but by the contaminated water from the hand pumps near the Carbide factory.

4. Address: At the time of the gas leak we did not live in Bhopal. We now live in Blue Moon Colony, which is very close to the Carbide factory. Before coming here we lived in Indira Nagar.

5. Occupation: I work as a ladies tailor at a shop in Shahjanabad.

6. Life worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood): We are eight siblings, and I am the eldest. We all live with our parents. All of us suffer from the effects of the contaminated water. When we first came to Blue Moon Colony we did not know about the contaminated water. Now we suffer from stomach pain and burning sensation in the chest. It seems that the stomach is full of gas. We feel very lethargic and tired. It is an effort to go out anywhere.

7. Income and sources of income: I sometimes earn about Rs.50.00 a day and sometimes Rs. 100.00. it depends on the season. During festivals the earning is more, provided iom am well enough to go to work. My father works as a casual labourer and he also contributes to the family income.

8. Compensation amount and how was it utilized: I have not received any compensation, as I am not affected by the gas leak.

9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbours, cause of death, date of death: There have been no deaths in the family.

Illness due to disaster: I was not affected by the gas leak.

10. Current Illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water): I am not able to breath properly; any strenuous work and I get breathless. My stomach burns all the time. I do not feel like eating anything. My heart burns continuously, I feel tired all the time.

11. Association with organizations: I have been involved with Sambhavna clinic and Rachana didi.

12. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, fasts, how many, when was the first time, where was it Bhopal and elsewhere: I have actively participated in many rallies organized in Bhopal. I will be going to a demonstration in Delhi for the first time.

13. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: None.

14. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors: I help out whenever possible when people in my locality need help.

15. Expectations from the padyatra: I go with the hope the government would provide us employment in accordance to our ability. All of us are sick and not able to work properly. The water supply needs to be improved. There is a lot to be done for the people of Bhopal. The government should realize the problems of the people.

16. Worries if any: I go with all enthusiasm. I am not at all afraid. I am sure that the government has to concede to our demands. We will not come back till then.

Ismail Khan.
16th February 2006.

 

JAGANATH DAS

1. Name: Jaganath Das.
   
2. Age:  90 years.
   
3. 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.
   
4. Address:  At the time of the gas leak, we lived in Tila Jamaal Pura.  We now live at 122 Atal Ayub Nagar.
   
5. Occupation:  At the time of the gas leak, I was a hawker and part-time laborer.  Now, I am a seasonal laborer and spend time visiting temples.
   
6. Life Worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood):  I have financial debts and worry about my wife who often falls sick.  There are also fights with neighbors who use abusive words. 
   
7. Income and sources of income:  I make between Rs. 2000-3000 and some additional money comes from conducting religious rituals such as pujas and predictions.
   
8. Amount of compensation and how it was utilized:  Soon after the leak, my wife and I received Rs. 200 each per month for a grand total of Rs. 50,000 for both my wife and me.  Just two months ago, my wife and I received Rs. 25,000 each.  With one share, we bought a plot of land which has not yet been used.
   
9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbors with cause and date of death:  My daughter passed away from a kitchen accident.  Prior to her death, she suffered multiple illnesses caused by exposure to the gas.
   
10. Illness due to disaster:  Due to the disaster, I suffer from eye irritation, headache, joint pain, chronic cough, loss of appetite and stomach aches.  I also experienced loss of sight for a long period of time.
    
11. Current illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water):  Currently, I suffer from breathlessness and eye irritations.  I get my medications from the Sambhavna Clinic.
    
12. Association with organizations:  At this moment, I do not have any associations with any organizations.
    
13. 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 5 to 6 rallies and have taken part in two hunger fasts.  In 2005, I traveled to Delhi and Mumbaito participate in these activities.
    
14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits:  I was mildly beaten while the police were attempting to disperse the crowd.
    
15. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors:  I have not taken part in activities on a large scale, but have helped a few survivors in meeting daily needs.
    
16. Expectations from the padyatra:  I hope that the padyatra will result in improving the condition of people affected from drinking contaminated water.  I hope affected people get compensation.
    
17. Any worries: My only worry is about the families staying at home.

 

 

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.

 

 

MOHAMMED ANWAR HASAN SIDDIQUE, 55 years

At the time of the gas leak i used to live in Teela Jamalpura, Bhopal. In 1995 i moved to the Housing Board Colony in Karond.

I used to work as a wood turner but the doctors at Sambhavna Clinic told me to stay away from dust. Since last year i have stopped working with wood and now I run a small grocery shop. I have a son who is 29 years old. He was not given any compensation. He was exposed badly and was never in good health, he is very weak. I earn about 70 to 80 rupees per day from the grocery shop. My wife also stays sick. She sews clothes and earns some money.

I got 70, 000 rupees as compensation. Most of the money was spent on my treatment. I used to be very sick. I am much better since i have started taking treatment at the Sambhavna clinic..

I have severe backache. My eyes burn a lot. I also suffer from breathlessness. I have to use an inhaler several times in a day.

I am involved with the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha.

I went for the World Social Forum at Mumbai in December 2003. There I took part in a street theatre and because I am fair complexioned I was given the role of "Uncle Sam". I have been to several demos before and after the WSF.

Along with other people in my locality I help out in keeping the neighbourhood clean.

 

 

NAFISA BI

1. Name:  Nafisa Bi.
   
2. Age:  50 years old.
   
3. 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. 
   
4. Address:  In 1984, I was living in Sudama Nagar near Apsara Talkies.  Currently, I live in Blue Moon Colony House No. 16.
   
5. Occupation:  In 1984, I was a housewife.  Currently, I stitch quilts to make money.
   
6. Life Worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood):  I worry about my three sons’ health.  My elder son has unbearable stomach pain.  My youngest son has developed T.B. 
   
7. Income and sources of income:  My husband is a Watchman and he earns Rs. 600 / month.  My sons also give some money.
   
8. Amount of compensation and how it was utilized:  I received Rs. 25,000 compensation.
   
9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbors with cause and date of death:  My mother-in-law and daughter-in-law’s mother died 5 years after the gas exposure in 1990.  One year ago, my grandson died soon after birth.  His body had turned green.  Another grandchild has been suffering with fits. 
   
10. Illness due to disaster:  Symptoms I have had include burning in the chest and eyes, and giddiness.
    
11. Current illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water):  I have many of the same symptoms as before and am taking treatment for chest pain and itching.
    
12. Association with organizations:  I am associated with ICJB.
    
13. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, how many, when was the first time and where was it in Bhopal and elsewhere:  I took part in my first demonstration 8 years ago.
    
14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits:  I have been arrested twice and was beaten by the police when I participated in the demonstration at Vidhan Sabha.
    
15. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors:  Whenever it is needed, I help survivors with their daily work.
    
16. Expectations from the padyatra:  I hope that the padyatra will help our communities get pure drinking water and access to good medical care.
    
17. Any worries: Right now, I am not feeling well.  Who will take care of me if I become tired and sick?

 

NARAYAN SINGH

1. Name: Narayan Singh.

2. Age: 50 years.

3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details): I am affected by the contaminated water from the hand pumps near the Carbide factory.

4. Address: At the time of the gas leak we lived in Beora. About 14 years back we came to Bhopal and now live at House No. 55, Gali No. 3, Garib Nagar.

5. Occupation: I work as a casual labourer with mason at construction sites.

6. Life worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood): I live in a rented room at the moment. I find it difficult to pay the rent. My children suffer from stomach aches all the time. They have rashes on their bodies. My wife also suffers from severe stomachache. Most of my earnings go towards paying the doctors. But we get no relief. I am the sole earning member in the family.

7. Income and sources of income: I earn about Rs.50.00 to Rs. 100.00 a day. But I do not earn every day. Sometimes there is no work and at times I am sick and not able to go out.

8. Compensation amount and how was it utilized: I have not received any compensation, as I am not affected by the gas leak.

9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbours, cause of death, date of death: There have been no deaths in the family.

Illness due to disaster: I was not affected by the gas leak.

10. Current Illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water): I am not able to breath properly; any strenuous work and I get breathless. My stomach burns all the time. I do not feel like eating anything. My heart burns continuously, I feel tired all the time.

11. Association with organizations: I have been involved with Sambhavna clinic and Rachana didi.

12. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, fasts, how many, when was the first time, where was it Bhopal and elsewhere: I have attended a few rallies in Bhopal. This is the first time I would be going to delhi for a demonstration. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: None.

13. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors: I help out whenever possible when people in my locality need help.

14. Expectations from the padyatra: I go with the demand that the government shall do something about the water and the soil in my area. We should get proper employment, as we are not able to do normal work.

15. Worries if any: I am not going alone. We are all going together why should I be afraid of anything. The government will listen to us. There is no other alternative.

Narayan Singh.
16th February 2006.

NAVAL SINGH

1. Name: Naval Singh.

2. Age: 55 years.

3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details): I am not affected by the gas leak but by the contaminated water from the hand pumps near the Carbide factory.

4. Address: We used to live at Indrapuri, Bhopal at the time of the gas leak, and I worked at the beer factory. I got very breathless after the disaster and the contractor i used to work under told me i was no longer employable. So i had to move away from my rented house as I was not earning anything and was unable to pay the rent. I went to Atal Ayub Nagar and put up a small hut. I live in house no. 1319, Gali no. 3, Atal Ayub Nagar, Bhopal.

5. Occupation: Now I work as a casual labourer whenever I can. Most of the time I am sick, I have trouble breathing.

6. Life worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood): At the time when the masjid was attacked in Ayodhya, there were communal riots in Bhopal. The situation was so bad that all of us to run away to safer places. During that time some people came and burnt my hut. The money I had saved for the marriage of my children was also stolen. When we came back after the riots, the whole place was in ruins. I lost everything I had. I did not get any compensation for the loss, though other people in my locality got some money for their loss. The water that we get from our hand pumps is very bad it smells and is very difficult to drink or cook with. Sometimes a tanker comes and gives us water. Otherwise we have to go to Arif Nagar to get water. When we first came to Atal Ayub Nagar we did not know about the contaminated water, and we used to drink and to cook in this water. My wife and children do not keep well; they always feel tired and cannot do any work. Their stomach and heart burns all the time, there is no appetite. They have rashes all over their body, which itches a lot. Because they do not keep well they are not able to go for work, we earn very little. It has become very difficult to carry on.

7. Income and sources of income: I earn about Rs.50.00 to Rs.60.00 per day on the days I work. When I am sick then I am not able to earn anything. My elder son also goes out whenever possible, he earns about a thousand rupees a month, this is a big help. We have no other source of income.

8. Compensation amount and how was it utilized: I have not received any compensation. After i got exposed to the poisonous gases on that night i stayed in Bhopal the next two days. My people in my village told me not to stay in Bhopal. They were afraid i would die, so i left Bhopal and went to my village. I wasn’t in Bhopal when the government carried out surveys. i never got registered as a gas victim and I have not received any compensation. I did not get any compensation for the loss I suffered in the riots.

9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbours, cause of death, date of death: Fortunately no one died in my family.

10. Illness due to disaster: As I was not affected by the gas leak, I do not suffer on that count.

11. Current Illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water): I am not able to breath properly; any strenuous work and I get breathless. My stomach burns all the time. I do not feel like eating anything. My heart burns continuously, I feel tired all the time. I suffer from joint pains.

12. Association with organizations: I have been involved with Sambhavna clinic and Rachana didi.

13. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, fasts, how many, when was the first time, where was it Bhopal and elsewhere: I have actively participated in many rallies organized in Bhopal. I had gone for the demonstration at Mumbai, we had gone with lots of brooms.

14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: Luckily I have never been beaten by the police.

15. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors: No, we are very poor people, how much can we help? But in case somebody needs to be taken to the hospital, then I help out. I also try to keep my surroundings clean with the help of my neighbours.

16. Expectations from the padyatra: We go with the hope that we will get our demands fulfilled by the government. I go with the hope that we would get some compensation and that we would get better medicals treatment. The government should make the carbide corporation clean up the water and soil near the factory. We should get piped water and not water from the hand pumps. Those of us who cannot earn a living because of our sickness should be given suitable jobs. That a house be provided to us who are affected by the contaminated water. I hope that the demands will be conceded fast. The government should not say that they would study the problem and then do something. The struggle has gone too long.

17. Worries if any: I am not afraid at all. I go for my right if I die on the way so be it. But the government should realise their responsibility.

Naval Singh.
16th February 2006.

 

RAM GOPAL

1. Name: Ram Gopal

2. Age: 40 years.

3. Gas affected or contaminated water affected (details): I am affected by the contaminated water from the as leak from the Carbide factory.

4. Address: We used to live at Bairagarh, Bhopal at the time of the gas leak, and now I live at House No.1320, Gali No. 3, Atal Ayub Nagar, Bhopal. We came here about 18 years back. My father died about 22 years back and we were living in a rented in house in Bairagarh, after his death it became very difficult for us to make ends meet. I was very small at that time but I had learnt tailoring. Some friends told me to move into Bhopal town instead of living in Bairagarh. And that is how I came to Atal Ayub Nagar.

5. Occupation: I work as a tailor from home. Neighbours come with their clothes to be stitched, the work is not enough, but somehow I carry on.

6. Life worries (indebtedness, illness in the family, livelihood): At Atal Ayub nagar there is no electricity. We have to use water from the hand well. It is very rarely that we get water by tanker. I have two sons and two daughters. The eldest son who is about 20 years suffers from continuous stomachache and his eyesight is weak. Even with spectacles he is not able to see properly. He also complains about joint pains. My wife suffers from heartburn and breathlessness. She has joint pains and does not have any appetite. She is very weak. She is not able to do much work. We are not able to medically treat ourselves due to the high cost of doctors and medicines. So now we come to Sambhavna clinic. The treatment is good here and we can now feel the difference.

7. Income and sources of income: I earn about Rs.70.00 to Rs.80.00 per day on the days I work. Sometimes there is no work and at other times when there is work I am ill. My children sometimes go and work as casual labourers. This augments the family income to a little extent.

8. Compensation amount and how was it utilized: I have not received any compensation, as I am not affected by the gas leak.

9. Deaths of family members, relatives, friends, neighbours, cause of death, date of death: One child of mine died in 1992 when he was 5 years. He used to complain of stomach problem. I treated him by taking him to the hospital at DIG bunglow, but the doctors were not able to make out anything. He was treated continuously for three years. I have also lost a nephew who was one and a half years at the time he also suffered from stomach ailments. We had even taken him to Hamidia Hospital but we were not able to save him. All this stomach problems, we later understood was because of the contaminated water from the hand pumps. A lot of people in the neighbourhood have died. Most of them young, and all of them were somehow or the other affected by the water.

10. Illness due to disaster: As I was not affected by the gas leak, I do not suffer on that count. But it has been made by the water we drink.

11. Current Illness (due to gas exposure or exposure to contaminated water): My stomach burns all the time. I do not feel like eating anything. It feels as if the stomach is full of gas. I suffer from joint pains. Even though I eat so less, I have heartburn, which is very severe. I suffer from rashes all over the body; my son also suffers from this. The medicine from the clinic has reduced these rashes.

12. Association with organizations: I have been involved with Sambhavna clinic and Rachana didi. I have been involved with them for the last 8 years.

13. Participation in rallies, demonstrations, direct actions, fasts, how many, when was the first time, where was it Bhopal and elsewhere: I have actively participated in many rallies organized in Bhopal. I also attend the meeting held every Wednesday at Chola.

14. Arrests, jail terms, beatings, legal suits: Luckily I have never been beaten by the police, though there have been many instances of lathi charge during the rallies and demonstrations.

15. Activities (other than participating in protests) for improvement of the condition of survivors: I try to help as much as possible in the neighbourhood. I realize I am not doing enough, but I am also not well. Despite this I do try my best.

16. Expectations from the padyatra: I go with the hope that we would get some compensation and that we would get better medical treatment. The government should make the carbide factory clean up the water and soil near the factory. We should get piped water and not water from the hand pumps. Those of us who cannot earn a living because of our sickness should be given suitable jobs.

17. Worries if any: I have no worries about walking all the way to Delhi. I am sure that we will reach there safely, not only that we will force the government to listen to our demands. The government has to look after its citizens.

Ram Gopal Acchelal.
16th February 2006.

 

 

SHABIR KHAN, son of SHABBIR KHAN, 18 years

I am with my mother Guddee Bee for the Padyatra. i live in the Blue Moon Colony with my mother and with my younger brother Kallu and sister Shaibee. i was born in a village near Ganj Basoda and came to Bhopal last year.

I went to school till 5th class but the teacher didn’t teach much. When i was 10 years old I started working in a stone quarry near our village. I used to break stones with a 20 pound hammer. When the stones in the quarry were exhausted there was no work for me. My father used to do the same work, he died 13 years back when the truck full of stone in which he was sitting fell in to a river.

After my father’s death my mother came to Bhopal to live with her sister. The reason I came to Bhopal was to find some work because i was the eldest in the family and had to support my mother and brother and sister.

Our aunt Nafeesa Bee who is also with the padyatra used to live in Blue Moon Colony so I came to live with her. I could find work in building construction but there's no regular work.

I knew that the water in Blue Moon Colony was poisoned, it tasted very bad the first time I drank a sip. It was terrible but I had to drink it for four or five months. Then I started falling sick, vomiting and getting stomach aches and dizziness. I stopped drinking the hand pump water I always try hard to get water from tankers.

I have never played any games – would have loved to play cricket but I don’t even get time to watch it on TV also we don’t have a TV at home.

I have never joined any demonstration. Never found time for them even if I wanted to. I could come on this padyatra because there is no work for me for the next month.

What I like about this padyatra is the people who are with us. Walking with so many people is fun. My legs hurt from walking but I am getting used to it. I have a lot of hope that we will win, that we will get piped water.