Bhopal gas leak survivors warn of direct action

Bhopal, Sep 23 (IANS) Bhopal gas leak tragedy survivors Wednesday warned the Madhya Pradesh government of direct action if it fails to keep its promise of supplying clean water to them before the 25th anniversary of the disaster.
Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group of Information and Action (BGIA) and Rashida Bi of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh told reporters that the state government had full knowledge of the contamination for the last 19 years and yet residents of nine of the 14 communities were still forced to drink contaminated groundwater.

In May 2005, the Supreme Court had ordered the state for “expeditious” supply of clean water to these communities but the state has twice failed to execute the order despite extensions of the deadline, they said.

“If it breaks its promise for the third time we will be forced to take direct action,” said Sarangi.

On the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, the pesticide plant of the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide leaked large quantities of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, killing thousands of people and affecting the health of many more.