Tragedy Post Disaster?

It is the world's worst industrial catastrophe, with more than 15000 deaths, and an appalling figure of 500,000 suffering due to exposure to MIC. Generations of people have been affected. Handicapped for life. It’s a process still going on, with no visible ending in the near future. All due to outrageously in-your-face human negligence and a shockingly irresponsible mass murderer, in the form of chairman Warren Anderson. It can be partly contributed to under-development and illiteracy in this regard, but a lot of things could've been avoided. Tons of lives could've been saved if the safety regulations were in place. Investigations are still on, but to no avail. Greenpeace is confident that Anderson knew about 30 safety hazards in the unit, which were not fixed in the Bhopal plant, but were patched up in the US plant, which led to the disaster. Sabotage, anyone?

Recently, the 25th anniversary occurred, providing a voice to those affected again, a loudspeaker to shout it out. It pained to actually realize the impact of this "accident", and was nowhere close to a rosy picture. It was barbaric, and definitely shook even the strongest of hearts. Thousands of people, of all ages, disabled and blemished for life. And the suffering continues.

More recently, the Bhopal Gas tragedy verdict was out. It was like adding insult to injury. Flinging insult after insult. Rubbing salt into raw wounds. Only 8 people convicted, and the punishment, makes one think it was a joke. Two years of imprisonment and $2000 fine. Wow! I mean, that's peanuts even for a guy who's attempted murder. And we are looking murder of over 15000 Indians, and attempted murder of over many a lakh. Talk about injustice! And Anderson not even among those convicted. Now its definitely a joke, and the government doesn’t seem to sense the humour. Anderson still heartlessly living the life of a sinner, and was supposedly helped by Indian officials to flee the country. This just is outrageous. Makes my heart cringe and at the same time burn with anger.

In the other half of this earth, the recent oil spill due to a undersea pipeline of BP explosion made headlines, for almost a month. The affected ones? Marine life in and around the oil spill, and a few thousands of people in and around the Gulf of Mexico. US President Barack Obama might have let a few of us down in what he achieved after promising the moon, but my opinion of his shot up like no other after what he achieved. He looked into the matter, followed it up brilliantly, and brought some respite. Well lots of it. Atleast monetarily. BP has vowed to pay up. Twenty Billion US dollars. That's right. All for dying dolphins! OK am not scaling down the oil spill, but in similar view, the victims of the oil spill have hit a jackpot. And victims of the Gas Tragedy? Still waiting compensation and relief. Time periods may have been a couple of decades apart, but that is no reason to give outrageous decisions and blaming the constitution for lack of a provision in case of natural disasters!

 The memorial at Bhopal aptly sums it up

 

Talk about contrasting judicial systems. We still have a long way to go! And I'm surprised no one else in India has done anything noteworthy. Its time we raised a voice, and do something to bring some form of justice to all those affected. Its time, well past it actually, that these victims and their families got justice.