Survivors hold a march on Bhopal Gas Tragedy anniversary

Bhopal, December 2

A large number of Bhopal gas tragedy survivors on Saturday marched, holding burning torches in hand, to a memorial of the world's worst industrial disaster on its 33rd anniversary this evening here.

They paid homage to those who died in the tragedy at the memorial statue in front of the now-defunct Union Carbide factory.

Residents of Old City area, which is next to the factory, where the groundwater is said to be contaminated by hazardous chemical waste lying on the factory premises, were also part of the march.

Leaders of five survivors' organisations, Rashida Bi, Nawab Khan, Balkrishna Namdeo, Satinath Sarange, Rachna Dhingra and Sarit Malviya, addressed the gathering, and demanded adequate compensation, clean-up of hazardous waste lying in the factory premises, rehabilitation of survivors and exemplary punishment for Union Carbide and Dow Chemical (which later took over Union Carbide).

The two-km march from Sindhi Colony to the factory was organised by five NGOs --  Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Children Against Dow /Carbide.

Toxic gas, which leaked from Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984 killed over 3,000 people and maimed thousands of others. PTI