21 Years Later, Hundreds Of Thousands Still Sick From Bhopal Leak

[hatrack]

EDIT

The methyl isocyanate gas, used to manufacture a pesticide called sevin, killed around 1,800 people moments after it leaked from a tank. A total of 15,274 people have died in the last 21 years due to the after-effects of the gas and 572,173 people who inhaled it continue to suffer from its ill-effects. "The successive state and central governments have done nothing in the last 21 years to improve the condition of the gas victims," said Abdul Jabbar, a crusader for the victims. "The condition of gas victims is the same as it was in the morning of Dec 3, 1984," he said.

According to Jabbar, the main issues are employment for the victims according to their working capacity, free and continuous treatment, pension to those who cannot work any more, supply of clean drinking water to people living close to the plant and removal of 18,000 tonnes of toxic waste from the premises of the factory. "But little has been done in this regard," he said.

"There are at least 30,000 people who have not been declared gas victims officially and are in need of compensation and treatment. These people were not able to prove in the gas relief courts that they were present in Bhopal when the gas leaked," said Jabbar.

"Also, the government figures of the casualties are much lower than the original figure. The government till date has compensated 15,274 people for the death of their relatives," said the activist. "But I say that over 33,000 people have been killed and their families have not been compensated. The reason is same - their families were not able to prove their presence in Bhopal that night," he said.

EDIT

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=59840

[YOY]

1. Union Carbide is no longer around to take the blame though n/t