Bhopal remembers gas tragedy victims

Bhopal, Dec 3 (UNI) Effigy of the Dow Chemical Company was burnt and a procession was taken out on the city's roads today to mark the 22nd anniversary of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.

Various organisations -- including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action and Bhopal ki Aawaaz -- took part in the procession.

Several people took part in the rally that started from Lili cinema house and reached Union Carbide premises negotiating several roads.

Effigies of the Dow Chemical Company and former Union Carbide Corporation chairman Warren Anderson were burnt by the CPI. It also paid tributes to the victims of the world's worst industrial disaster.

Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha Chairman Bal Krishna Namdev said several lakh people were suffering from diseases such as cancer, skin diseases, stomach ailments and mental disorders caused by the leakage of gas from the Carbide factory.

A research conducted by the IMCR institute found that the effects of the leakage would affect several generations. However, the state government had not made any proper arrangements in this regard.

He accused the state government and the Centre of helping the perpetrators of the crime and neglecting the victims. He threatened that gas survivors would go on an indefinite strike from January 3, 2007, if adequate arrangements were not made for them.

On the night of December 2-3, 1984, gas leak from the factory of Union Carbide in Bhopal had claimed more than 15,000 lives and left thousands of others maimed.

UNI AG-PS RP KP1910