28 yrs hence, Bhopal remembers 1984
4 Dec 2012 5:31 AM IST
As the city on Monday marked 28th anniversary of Union Carbide gas leak disaster, which claimed at least over 3,000 lives in its immediate aftermath, activists alleged the victims have got a raw deal from both the Centre and BJP government in Madhya Pradesh.
Even after 28 years, no one had been punished for this man-made disaster and victims got only inadequate compensation, `Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sanghthan' convenor Abdul Jabbar said here. Rallies were held in the city by the organisations working for the victims, to protest the government's ‘perennial inaction’.
Jabbar said state and the Centre were trying to protect multi-national companies. ‘It is because of this attitude that the then Chief Executive Officer of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, has not been brought to India so far to face trial.’
The programmes to mark the anniversary of the worst industrial disaster in the world started with an all-religion prayer meeting to remember the victims, an annual tradition.
Members of the Sangthan marched to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence to submit a memorandum about long-pending demands, including adequate compensation and speedy trials. They were stopped by police near Kamla Park.
On the intervening night of 2-3 Dec, 1984, deadly methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, killing over 3,000 people and maiming many others.
Jabbar said when Chouhan became the Chief Minister seven years ago, the victims had lots of hopes from him. ‘But Chouhan has belied all the hopes.’
There was not much difference between Congress and BJP as far as the gas victims were concerned, he added. Jabbar and other activists here lament that nobody has been sent to jail in connection with the disaster yet and the trials are proceeding slowly. The first judgement was delivered in June 2010 but those who were sentenced were granted bail immediately.
The number of victims is a major bone of contention between Madhya Pradesh government and the activists.
The organisations working for the victims claim the state government told the SC that only around 5,000 people lost lives and had it given the correct figure, more compensation would have been granted. According to the organisations, the gas leak left around 15,000 dead, and six lakh injured.
Even after 28 years, no one had been punished for this man-made disaster and victims got only inadequate compensation, `Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sanghthan' convenor Abdul Jabbar said here. Rallies were held in the city by the organisations working for the victims, to protest the government's ‘perennial inaction’.
Jabbar said state and the Centre were trying to protect multi-national companies. ‘It is because of this attitude that the then Chief Executive Officer of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, has not been brought to India so far to face trial.’
The programmes to mark the anniversary of the worst industrial disaster in the world started with an all-religion prayer meeting to remember the victims, an annual tradition.
Members of the Sangthan marched to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence to submit a memorandum about long-pending demands, including adequate compensation and speedy trials. They were stopped by police near Kamla Park.
On the intervening night of 2-3 Dec, 1984, deadly methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, killing over 3,000 people and maiming many others.
Jabbar said when Chouhan became the Chief Minister seven years ago, the victims had lots of hopes from him. ‘But Chouhan has belied all the hopes.’
There was not much difference between Congress and BJP as far as the gas victims were concerned, he added. Jabbar and other activists here lament that nobody has been sent to jail in connection with the disaster yet and the trials are proceeding slowly. The first judgement was delivered in June 2010 but those who were sentenced were granted bail immediately.
The number of victims is a major bone of contention between Madhya Pradesh government and the activists.
The organisations working for the victims claim the state government told the SC that only around 5,000 people lost lives and had it given the correct figure, more compensation would have been granted. According to the organisations, the gas leak left around 15,000 dead, and six lakh injured.
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