The gory night of December 2-3, 1984 still haunt the memories of a poor inhabitant of Oriya Basti, a slum area unfortunate to have been very close to infamous Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. Although 30 years have passed but it seems as if it was just yesterday that the mayhem broke, when she gasped for oxygen, coughed incessantly, her eyes burning as if she had been attacked with pepper spray. Her old shriveled skin stretches when she relives the trauma of that night as she and her spouse joined thousands of other people trying to escape the deadly Methyl Iso-Cyanate (MIC) leaking from the Union Carbide plant. Even as the entire city was trying to escape, several of them were unlucky and were swallowed by the jaws of death.
There are numerous tales of unfathomable sufferings. Paan Bai cites the case of her newborn brought to life before time because of what happened on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. The baby was named Zahar Lal by hospital staff to keep records of new-born babies. Amidst heaps of dead bodies in the hospital, the baby was unaware that his name is also the tale of that black night.
Similarly resounding is the name of another baby girl, born to Nirmati Devi. The baby was named Gas Devi (Goddess of Gas) probably because she survived the fatal and chaotic night of December 2, 1984, while death danced on Bhopal's streets.
What is ironical is that both Paan Bai and Nirmati share one more thing in common. They do not share and celebrate the birthdays and names of their son and daughter respectively.
Zahar Lal and Gas Devi turn 30 this year which also marks the 30th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster. Did anything change for them during a long span of 30 years?
Nothing! In essence just the years have passed. Amidst diplomatically correct statements and convincing seasoned assurances of justice, the tragic tale of betrayal continues.
Zahar Lal and Gas Devi's patience awaiting justice have been tested for long. The souls of thousands who died on the mournful night and nearly 5.74 lakh victims who are still suffering the aftermath of leakage of the lethal MIC from the killer tank No 610 of Union Carbide factory at Kali Parade Ground of Old Bhopal city are still awaiting justice.
Are we now habituated to mourn just another December 2 which marks the anniversary of Bhopal gas tragedy?
What about the tragedy that befell Gas Devi, Zahar Lal and lakhs of survivors? It speaks volumes about our system's determination and loud slogans of justice to let off Warren Anderson, the prime accused of mass homicide and the chief of erstwhile Union Carbide who is no more. Anderson died in USA at the age of 93 as an absconder without going behind bars even for a day, defying Indian law and courts who summoned him numerous times. He was probably sure that he shall live his whole life at ease because he was far more abreast of the obduracy of our machinery and coldness of systems than the citizens of this country. The Republic of India had failed to extradite the prime accused of the world's worst man-made disaster from USA.
The Bhopal gas tragedy was never on the agenda of Indo-US talks during 10 year UPA regime. Is this an opportunity for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring this matter of shameful corporate negligence on the country's agenda at a time when US President Barack Obama is visiting India on the Republic Day in January 2015.
At least, in the case of Warren Anderson, the US emerged as a safe haven to dodge culpable homicide charges in India, according to Amnesty International.
The agency has also raised the issue that Union Carbide has also been declared as an absconder and the foreign company's disregard for Indian judicial system is outrageous.
A humble Zahar Lal and a sober Gas Devi cannot be very vocal to describe this in words but justice to them is only possible when the Bhopal gas tragedy is taken up as a serious case when Narendra Modi meets Barack Obama.
Some may dub it as an attempt to take up an old and forgotten issue. However, the question is who is accountable for making Bhopal a gas chamber. After the tragedy, the Government of India appointed itself as the sole legal representative of gas victims. As the legal guardian, has the Indian government succeeded to ensure justice to Bhopal gas survivors?
Neither Gas Devi & Zahar Lal nor any of the survivors would be in a position to give the answer in affirmative. The 30-year-old question has not yet been answered as to who gave a safe passage to Warren Anderson who left Bhopal on bail to US to never come back.
The then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Arjun Singh and Warren Anderson himself are now not in this world to solve the mystery. The secret of Anderson's arrest and immediate release would remain a secret forever!
As the sole custodian of the interests of Indian citizen, it is the responsibility of the Government of India to bring to book the perpetrators of Bhopal gas tragedy.
The permission to Union Carbide Corporation Limited to set up the pesticide plant at Bhopal was given by the Government of India. So why was the safety mechanism at the Union Carbide Plant not able to deal with the catastrophe of that magnitude?
Subsequently, the Union Carbide was taken over by Dow Chemical in 2001. Was it merely a deal involving assets? Who would pay for liability?
This is now a high time for the new Indian regime to find answers to all these serious issues since Union Carbide was not the last global giant to set up its unit in India. Several others are in the queue to join the Make in India campaign.
Leave aside Gas Devi and Zehar Lal, even three decades after the tragedy according to the Chingari Trust of Gas Victims the third generation of children in gas affected areas are still being born with congenital disorders. For these families the tragic tale continues but they wonder why the studies taken up by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have not reached to any conclusion to the benefit of patients.
Have we learnt a lesson?
Just three days before the 30th anniversary of Bhopal gas tragedy, some chlorine gas leaked from a chemical factory in Madideep area near Bhopal, creating health complications for nearly 40 people. The place is barely 25 kms away from the closed Union Carbide plant. The leakage has again exposed the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards safety of innocent citizen from hazardous chemical set ups.
As the dreadful saga may become a cliché for some, it would continue to haunt victim like Shamshad Begum in the worst affected JP Nagar area in front of Union Carbide plant.
Shamshad lost her 6-year-old son Raja and mother-in-law on that black night and subsequently her husband a few years later. The ageing Shamshad has got the compensation but who would be there to support her when she would not be able to work.
Can compensation bring the life of Raja back? Are we really sensitive and value the life of our citizens or are these just meant for drawing room debates and discussions?
What mask do we wear when we still profess optimism & positivity after 30 years to Gas Devi, Zahar Lal, Shamshad Begum and thousands of the victims?
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