Help the victims. End the Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Thirty years after a lethal mix of chemical gases leaked from one of Union Carbide India limited's factories in India, killing thousands, debilitating generations, and making a quaint mid-sized town in this country's heartland the international by-word for industrial accidents, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy continues to unravel. At the site of the accident, the rusting steel frame of the abandoned factory gives the impression of a closed chapter, but underneath, toxic chemicals still contaminate the ground and water. In the surrounding areas, the older folks seem tired of their decades long battle for justice but the fight is far from over — their children and grand-children, also victims of the gas leak and its aftermath, are determined to set things right. In the courts, parallel processes to pin accountability are moving, slowly but steadily. True, there have been several missed opportunities in these past 30 years — many those who could have been held directly responsible for the tragedy have died without seeing the inside of a prison cell. This includes Warren Anderson, then chief of Union Carbide; Arjun Singh, then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India. However, there are still certain measures that can be taken to somewhat remedy the situation.
At the top of the list is the cleaning of the accident site. Some 350 tonnes of chemical waste, excavated in 2005, still sits at the factory, polluting the environment. Incinerating this waste is the next step — and a trial run has been scheduled for December 30 at an incinerator plant at Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, but keep in mind that previous efforts to incinerate the waste met with stiff resistance. Only after the waste has been removed, can the toxic factory structure be dismantled. Meanwhile, there is the issue of better compensation for the victims. A ray of hope emerged last month after the Union Chemical and Fertiliser Minister agreed to look into the matter. As of now, the Government does not consider second and third generation victims of the accident for compensation — partly because there is no official evidence to link their many ailments to the gas leak or the continued environmental contamination in its aftermath. This highlights the need for a holistic survey of the damage. The Government also needs to strengthen its industrial laws to prevent such tragedies. Yes, some changes have been made but enforcement remains a challenge. However, if the Modi Government is serious about converting India into a global manufacturing hub, it cannot sidestep these issues. Finally, it must pursue the case against Dow Company, which now owns UCIl's parent company and is sheltered by the US Government. Previous Indian Governments have shortchanged the people on this score, but the Modi regime must tell the US that, just like America doesn't compromise on public safety (think the BP oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico), India too values the life of its every citizen.