Thursday, June 10, 2010

Who will clean up Bhopal?

After 25 years and the death of thousands, finally verdict came in Bhopal Gas tragedy, which is considered as the world's worst industrial disaster. No one is satisfied with the verdict, and accusation and counter accusations are going on; will go on until media find another popular issue. But do we recognised the real problem?

Before going further, I would like to say that, Bhopal is not a village in some remote forest belts of India, but it is the capital of then largest state (Madhya Pradesh) of India!!! If this is the efficiency of clean up activities in the capital city of an Indian province, then what will happen if this disaster was happened in some remote corners of India?

According to BBC report "Nearly 3,000 people died on the night of the leak.There have been at least 15,000 related deaths since. For the last 24 years, 390 metric tonnes of waste are lying on the premises of the now defunct plant - and no way has yet been found to dispose of it safely."

Read this Express report for the alarming conditions of highly toxic waste lying in this central Indian city.
25 Years on Government wakes up to Bhopal waste but cannot find anyone to clean it up.

Bhopal tragedy was over around 25 years ago, thousands dead, and close to half a million people were at the receiving end of this tragedy. But the inefficiency of government, judiciary and other responsible parties are not allowing an end to this story. It took 25 years for the court to reach a verdict!!! Even after these 25 years, toxic wastes are lying in and around the plant of Union Carbide. Even they got another 25 years, its not sure that Dow Chemicals (Which bought Union Carbide), governments of both centre and state will clear the site.

Now people have to drink this contaminated water (because they have to drink something), people have live in this contaminated environment (because they have to live somewhere). MIC and other chemicals from the plant already results in world's worst industrial disaster. Authorities are pushing the ball from one place to another. If we cant decide anything on such a highly critical issue even after 25 years, then what is the need for such a system? The system itself questioning the need for its existence.

Government have to make the feeling of its presence, not by collecting the taxes, conducting elections etc but by creating a feeling among the people that - they can lead a life as the free citizens of the world with freedom to think, act and enjoy.

Why we cant fix the responsibility of cleaning up the site, and free it from the toxic waste?

Sajeev

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