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Bhopal gas victims to agitate from today
Five organisations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal on Monday announced their plans of indefinite dharna (sit-in) from Tuesday demanding correction in figures of deaths and injuries, in the soon to be heard curative petition in the Supreme Court.
The leaders of the organisations said that the State Government was yet to make much needed corrections as promised by the Chief Minister in response to the "rail roko" agitation held on December 3. So far the only assurance the organisations have received is that the officials would be meeting the Additional Solicitor General of Madhya Pradesh on January 6 to discuss changes in figures of damage caused by Union Carbide.
"Our dharna will continue till the figures in the curative petition are actually corrected." said Rashida Bee, who had been awarded Goldman Environmental Prize in 2004.
The organisations will also be demanding dropping of false criminal charges against Bhopal gas victims and setting up an independent and impartial investigation as promised by the Chief Minister.
"For peaceful protest action on the 27th anniversary of the disaster, 2000 Bhopalis are facing 17 criminal charges each. The Government is trying to criminalise the survivors’ efforts to claim their legal rights to adequate compensation," said Balkrishna Namdeo who along with his colleagues, some even older than 80 years, stands charged with murder assault, arson, rioting and other grave charges.
The organisations plan to clean up and restore the historic Bawadi (step well) in Bada Bagh where the indefinite dharna will be held. The dharna will also be a place for dissemination of information on compensation and the trumped up criminal charges against gas victims.
Five organisations of the survivors of the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal on Monday announced their plans of indefinite dharna (sit-in) from Tuesday demanding correction in figures of deaths and injuries, in the soon to be heard curative petition in the Supreme Court.
The leaders of the organisations said that the State Government was yet to make much needed corrections as promised by the Chief Minister in response to the "rail roko" agitation held on December 3. So far the only assurance the organisations have received is that the officials would be meeting the Additional Solicitor General of Madhya Pradesh on January 6 to discuss changes in figures of damage caused by Union Carbide.
"Our dharna will continue till the figures in the curative petition are actually corrected." said Rashida Bee, who had been awarded Goldman Environmental Prize in 2004.
The organisations will also be demanding dropping of false criminal charges against Bhopal gas victims and setting up an independent and impartial investigation as promised by the Chief Minister.
"For peaceful protest action on the 27th anniversary of the disaster, 2000 Bhopalis are facing 17 criminal charges each. The Government is trying to criminalise the survivors’ efforts to claim their legal rights to adequate compensation," said Balkrishna Namdeo who along with his colleagues, some even older than 80 years, stands charged with murder assault, arson, rioting and other grave charges.
The organisations plan to clean up and restore the historic Bawadi (step well) in Bada Bagh where the indefinite dharna will be held. The dharna will also be a place for dissemination of information on compensation and the trumped up criminal charges against gas victims.
