Gas tragedy: Indefinite fast begins

Bhopal, Mar 5 (UNI) Six representatives owing allegiance to organisations working for Bhopal's 1984 gas tragedy victims, began an indefinite hunger strike here today in support of a four-point charter of demands.

The Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA) and Bhopal Ki Awaaz have been staging a sit-in for the past 13 days in support of demands for victims' treatment, employment, pension and supply of pure potable water.

Paryavaran Puraskar recipient Rasheeda Bi, BGIA's Satinath Shadangi and Rachna Dhingra were among those who went on the fast.

''The government's stance is one of neglect. Water in three-km radius of the (now-closed) Union Carbide unit has been polluted.

Chemicals, which cause cancer and congenital defects, have mixed with the groundwater,'' Mr Shadangi told mediapersons.

Pointing out that the residents of the polluted areas were suffering from several diseases including respiratory ailments, he added that the Centre had provided Rs 14 crore for a potable water supply system.

''The proposal to declare Bhopal's remaining 20 wards as gas tragedy-affected is votebank politics. An Indian Council of Medical Research report says that these wards were unaffected,'' Mr Shadangi explained.

The organisations demanded Rs 1,000 monthly pension for every family where congenital defects were observed. Pension was also demanded for widows, families that lost their breadwinners and those Below Poverty Line.

UNI