3 December 1984, was a tryst with fatality for
people in Bhopal. The Union Carbide plant released methyl isocyanate gas and
other chemicals, killing nearly 10,000 in 72 hours. Four times the number died
from gas-afflicted diseases. Even now, toxic chemicals abandoned at the plant
continue to contaminate the ground water in Bhopal and affect its residents.
Sadly the lessons of Bhopal have not been learnt. Hazardous waste from industries continues to be released into air as well as the waters. Manmade disasters are a creation of callous corporate where profits have precedence over human lives. Natural resources and human resource are under attack by the pied pipers of economic prosperity. The appreciation of wealth of a few is resulting in the depreciation of the health of many.
Those, who do not
care about the devastating impact of their actions, will always find loopholes
in the legal process. Aided by acts of omission and commission by the
authorities, the culprits get away. The greatest lesson of the Bhopal case is
that when we ignore a crime, it repeats in varied avatars.
It is only to our peril that we may ignore the menace of ‘toxification’ of our ecosystem. Any act that worsens the situation of lives and livelihoods cannot be accepted as development. But plain indignation by the citizens can never suffice. It would be better to treat all manmade disasters as acts of bio-terror and counter them, their promoters and apologists as such.
It is only to our peril that we may ignore the menace of ‘toxification’ of our ecosystem. Any act that worsens the situation of lives and livelihoods cannot be accepted as development. But plain indignation by the citizens can never suffice. It would be better to treat all manmade disasters as acts of bio-terror and counter them, their promoters and apologists as such.
To BE BETTER at learning Bhopal’s painful lesson,
We must prevent and punish every toxic action!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
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