Hundreds march in Bhopal ahead of 1984 gas tragedy anniversary

BHOPAL: Hundreds of people holding torches marched from the Sindhi Colony to the defunct Union Carbide factory here today on the eve of the 31st anniversary of 1984 Bhopal gas leak tragedy, considered to be the worst industrial disaster in the world.

Participants of the march, organised by various NGOs, also took an oath outside the factory premises to continue the struggle for justice and for more compensation.

"The Indian government filed a curative petition in the Supreme Court on December 3, 2010, seeking $1.2 billion in additional compensation from the Union Carbide and its (present) owner, Dow Chemical Company.

"But, unfortunately there has been just one hearing on the petition in the last five years and the government has not moved a single application for urgent hearing," said Satinath Sarangi and Rachna Dingra of 'Bhopal Group for Information and Action'.

"The curative petition downplays the damage caused by the disaster and seeks too little compensation," they claimed.

Sarangi told PTI that the main obstruction in securing justice for survivors was "continuing collusion" between the Government of India and the two American corporations -- Union Carbide and Dow Chemical Company.

"In 1985 the Indian government asked for USD 3.3 billion as compensation, which would be about 7 billion dollars today. Union Carbide has paid only 470 million dollars; the least Indian government should be asking for is 6.5 billion dollars," said Rashida Bee, the head of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh.

"But the curative petition only asks for USD 1.2 billion," she said.