Corporate Crime to be in focus for commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Bhopal gas tragedy

BHOPAL: Four organizations of survivors announced their plans for commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Union Carbide gas disaster in Bhopal, the World’s worst industrial catastrophe, on December 2-3, 2024.

The leaders of the organizations were joined at a press conference by several individuals who played critical roles as first responders during the early hours of the devastating gas leak. An exhibition of posters on facts and figures related to the worst industrial disaster in the world was also inaugurated on the occasion.

“This year we’ve already begun commemorations with Bhopali artists of national and international repute, who have painted powerful murals on the walls of Union Carbide factory. From today onwards, till December 4, we are holding poster exhibitions covering every aspect of the disaster. We are also organizing different events at the site of the exhibition.” said Rashida Bi, President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, a trade union of women survivors of the disaster.

Bhopal artists who have painted the murals include Akhilesh Verma, Devilal Patidar, Suchita Raut, Vinay Sapre, Hina Khan, Pragati Chaurasia, Sadhna Shukla, Preeti Das, Meena Chaurasia, Kirti Singh and Sonu Batham.

The Bhopal gas tragedy had hit on night intervening December 2-3, 1984 when toxic methyl iso-cyanate (MiC) gas spewed out of the pesticide plant of Union Carbide in Bhopal, killing thousands and maiming lakhs for life.

Survivors continue to struggle for adequate compensation and for criminal punishment to those responsible for the disaster.

Balkrishna Namdeo from the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogee Sangharsh Morcha described plans for commemorations. “On this 40th Anniversary of the disaster we will be focusing on corporate crime, on how it threatens today the very survival of the planet. The anniversary rally will focus on global corporate crimes such as industrial pollution and climate change, and of course on the ongoing crimes of Union Carbide and Dow Chemical. Victims of corporate crime from India and abroad will be participating in the 40th Anniversary Rally.”

Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group for Information and Action spoke about the November 23 event. “We are joined by some of the key first-responders to the disaster of December 1984, including the senior most doctor at the Emergency ward, a Forensic specialist who carried out the most autopsies, and persons involved in mass burials, who will be narrating their memories of the morning of the disaster,” she said.

Nawab Khan, President of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, added about the exhibition: “The exhibition is focused on figures and the lack of credible figures for the disaster in Bhopal. As we have presented here, it is ironic that in a country that claims to be the third largest scientific human power, the most basic figures such as on the casualties and health impacts of the disaster remain unavailable, even after 40 years.”