Bhopal gas victims to go on hunger strike from Nov. 10

(MENAFN- Arab News) The representatives of five organizations working for the welfare of the survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal the world's worst industrial catastrophe have announced their plans of an indefinite waterless fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from Nov. 10.

Addressing a press conference here the representatives said that five women survivors will stop taking any food or water demanding additional compensation for all survivors of the disaster and correction of figures of death and extent of injury in the curative petition filed in the Supreme Court of India by the federal government.

The agitation would be organized under the joint banner of five survivors' organizations and hundreds of survivors would support the fast by sitting with the five women at the venue every day representatives of the organizations said. The organizations joining the agitation are Bhopal Group of Information and Action (BGIA) Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha Children Against Dow Carbide Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh and the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha (BGPMPSM).

Ms Rashida Bi president of a trade union of women survivors said that the ex-gratia compensation of Indian rupees 100000 was given to only 33672 survivors among the 569081 people exposed to Union Carbide's toxic gas. "There is no scientific or legal basis to deny additional compensation to 93 percent of the victims. Our protest at Jantar Mantar is for additional compensation of Indian rupees 100000 for all gas victims" she said.

Satinath Sarangi of BGIA and Nawab Khan president of BGPMPSM said the figures of death (5295) and extent of injury caused by the Union Carbide presented in the curative petition are far lower than the findings of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other scientific agencies.

The death figure has risen to around 25000 and almost all the 0.56 million odd victims are still suffering acutely. The government is downplaying the damage caused by the Union Carbide even when it is seeking additional compensation. "Government should put across the correct position while demanding additional compensation through the curative petition else it's of no use" they added.

Balkrishna Namdeo president of an organization fighting for social support for the needy said: "The government is seeking only $1.2 billion as additional compensation in the Curative petition whereas it should be asking for at least $8.1 billion from the American corporations."

Ms Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information & Action said: "The denial of proper compensation to the victims is a direct result of successive governments at the center so far siding with Union Carbide. We will see whose side our new Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on."

"Just a month back we saw how keen our Prime Minister is about American corporations coming to India. We hope he is as keen to ensure that these corporations obey the laws of the country and pay adequate compensation. Bhopal is a good test for him" said Safreen Khan founder of the Children Against Dow Carbide.