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
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