As many as 500 activists including minors from five organisations that are fighting in the interest of Bhopal gas victims, will stage a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on November 8 during US president Obama’s visit. They will press for their long-pending demand of US administration to put clean-up responsibility on Dow Chemicals the company which acquired Union Carbide.
“Tonnes of toxic waste is lying in premises of Union Carbide unit at Bhopal and US administration should join us for lunch there and drink the water which hundreds of gas victims are drinking which is toxic and claiming lives of hundreds of people and new born children,” Rasheeda Bee of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karmchari Sangh said.
All five organisations — Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Group for Information and Action, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Children Against Dow-Carbide and Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karmchari Sangh had demanded US President Barack Obama to personally look into the matter as he did it in case of British Petroleum oil spill in Gulf of Mexico.
“He is visiting India with the biggest ever known corporate delegation. This delegation will be represented by those companies which are known for their huge damage to the environment,” Activist Satinath Sarangi said.
“He should not have a dual policy — one for US and other for the rest of the world. Bhopal has suffered a lot and people, particularly children are dying due to the toxic waste lying in Bhopal. Obama should visit Bhopal and see the gravity of the crime committed by Union Carbide and Dow Chemicals,” Sarangi added.
All five organisations had written a letter (a copy of which is available with Business Standard) to Barack Obama and had sought an appointment but there was no response from the White House.
