Addressing a Press Conference on the occasion of the 34th Anniversary of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, leaders of four survivors’ organisations said that the Indian government is protecting the criminal corporations with more zeal and being more indifferent towards the victims, ever since Mr. Modi became the Prime Minister.
The organisations said that Mr. Modi’s special relationship with Dow Chemical, Union Carbide’s owner, is known since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat where Dow tried to set up a joint venture with Gujarat Chemicals and Alkalis in 2008. As the Prime Minister, Modi is known to have invited Dow Chemical’s CEO to a special dinner and photo-op during one of his visits to US in 2015.
The Sambhavna Trust Clinic in Bhopal, on Saturday 1st December 2018 released an important and explosive report on the status of health and healthcare of the gas affected people in comparison to the unexposed population. The report is based on a study conducted between 2015 and 2017 by the trust, carried out in a sample population that included those directly exposed to gas in 1984 and those exposed in the wombs of the exposed mothers.
Leaders of four organizations of survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal today charged Minister of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief & Rehabilitation, Vishwas Sarang of deliberate inaction on the issue of criminal liability of Union Carbide Corporation. The organizations said that despite their urgent request, the Minister has not taken a single step in the last eight months, to prevent Union Carbide Corporation from escaping criminal liability for the gas disaster of December 1984.
भोपाल गैस काण्ड के पीड़ितों के चार संगठनों के नेताओ ने आज एक पत्रकार वार्ता में गैस राहत मंत्री विशवास सारंग पर आर्थिक और समाजिक पुनर्वास के पैसों के दुरूपयोग का आरोप लगाया | भोपाल गैस त्रासदी राहत एवं पुनर्वास विभाग से सूचना के अधिकार के तहत प्राप्त दस्तावेजों के द्वारा उन्होने दिखाया पीड़ितों और उनके बच्चों को रोजगार दिलाने के लिए आवंटित धनराशि का 60% सड़क, नाले और पार्को के निर्माण के लिए खर्च किया जा रहा है | यह दस्तावजे यह भी दिखाते है कि यूनियन कार्बाइड कारखाने के पास बसे लोगों को मकान देने के लिए आवंटित राशि का 1/3 भी इन्हीं कार्यो के लिए खर्च किया जा रहा है |
At a Press Conference today, leaders of four organisations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal charged Minister Vishwas Sarang of misusing funds meant for economic and social rehabilitation of the survivors. The organisations presented copies of documents obtained under right to information from the Department of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation that show that close to 60 % of the funds meant for providing employment to survivors and their children have been diverted to build drains, roads and parks. Likewise, documents show that almost one third of the funds meant for housing of residents in the vicinity of the Union Carbide factory is also being diverted for the same purpose.
