Local Voice

Sometimes I or we forget the issue or concern very easily with time. And when news channels in today’s world highlight that tragedy with a sense of agonizing people, it comes to our mind. It may be a case again when we forget the story next day eventually but here I'm trying it to remember for some more time than usual.

It happened in the night of 3 dec 2009. A US company Union Carbide which produced fertilizers in Bhopal, one of the underground tanks containing Methyl Isocyanides blasted due to pressure and low safety measures in the factory cost almost 3000 lives in few hours immediately. And over 50000 people were treated over the period of 3-4 days caused with swelling over eyes, blindness, and kidney or lever failures. Problems like Cancer, undeveloped organs during birth, malfunctioning of kidney and liver , respiratory problems manifested till date due to that tragedy. And responsibility held with people, government and Union carbide management who were responsible for such homicide which caused loss of thousands of lives because of their carelessness and ignorance ( as per the different reports and sources inadequate safety measures were taken and continual reminder of workers out there management took no decision to rethink about that. Few of the questions were left unanswered like why such vulnerable plant was put near to city? Why management did not take any action of the suggested standards? Where were Government at fault? Why people's voice never heard of unless they came out on the road or to extreme situations? Why justice still pending to the victim or survivors of Bhopal Gas tragedy?

"Mothers didn't know their children had died, children did not know their mothers had died and men didn’t know their whole families had died." --Ahmed Khan, Bhopal resident

Well there are certain facts when NGOs and activist fought for the compensation then in Union carbide had paid 470 million $ to victims but people complain that it is inadequate in some senses.

Indian government still waiting for the outcome of the US court hearing for Dow chemicals ( who owns the Union Carbide now ) to clear the site. The former chairman of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, still faces charges of manslaughter in India but refuses to return to the country. After 25 years of tragedy people of Bhopal still waiting for the right judgment and compensation to come which can at least give them a feeling of beginning of fresh life without any cyanide killer around them , not even in the dream. Also justice is pending from the Indian government and law regulators whose negligence or compromise with whom those who have actual power( money ), left impression of such incident on the hearts and minds of their own people, which left nothing but only pain.

Initial deaths (3-6 December): more than 3,000 - official toll

Unofficial initial toll: 7,000-8,000

Total deaths to date: over 15,000

Number affected: Nearly 600,000

Compensation: Union Carbide pays $470m in 1989

Source: Indian Supreme Court, Madhya Pradesh government, Indian Council of Medical Research

There was one movie on this tragedy, Bhopal Express. It was very touching in some senses.

Details are also vailable at :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster

.