An air of contaminated arrogance
Even if there was a possibility of sabotage, why would Union Carbide along with their CEO, Warren Anderson, flee the country overnight unless of course they knew they had unleashed a monster? If you think the worst was over, think again.
I HAVE been reading about the Bhopal gas tragedy for many years, but recently my curiosity was piqued by an article carried in the Tehelka (Air, Water, Earth And The Sins Of The Powerful, issue dated 5 April 2008). I have since then gone back and done a little more research on that subject. While the Indian government and the government of Madhya Pradesh refused to even admit that there was a major health threat as a result of the catastrophe, let alone take responsibility for their own citizens, Union Carbide, the company responsible for the leak, went one step further and claimed the episode was a case of sabotage.
Now I am not saying it's not possible but let’s consider the facts; why would Union Carbide along with their CEO, Warren Anderson, flee the country overnight if they were so convinced of a sabotage, unless of course they knew very well that they had unleashed a monster. Of course, on their website they state that they were 'urged' by the Indian government to leave the country. If so, then why is it that now, when the same Indian government has asked him to come back for further trials, he refuses to return to face trial? Why are they flouting extradition laws? Their camp made some mention of a fictitious Sikh terrorist group and then referred to a saboteur who deliberately caused the disaster. They even employed a consultancy firm, Arthur D Little, to fabricate a technical report along these lines. If they had known of the ‘saboteur’ all along, why hadn't they done anything about it earlier? Their answer is that they feel 'it would serve no useful purpose'. Now, I am sure the survivors and the victims will beg to differ on that. Surely, a company such as theirs, isn’t afraid of the pressures from the Indian government.
For the sake of argument, let us consider the sabotage angle. Even if that were true, doesn't it fall upon Union Carbide to try and repair the damage caused "unintentionally". Is it so difficult for a billion dollar corporation to take the responsibility of a few thousand survivors and work towards preventing their evils from spreading further. The statement on their website makes for quite an interesting read, which has by the way, been written by none other than Burson-Mosteller, a top PR firm. They try their best to dissociate themselves from the disaster. I don't understand how they can think they have the right to mock our intelligence.
The story moves forward - in February 6, 2001, Dow Chemicals paid US$12 billion to acquire Union Carbide, of course after they had done everything under the sun to wash their hands off any responsibility for the tragedy, by enlisting the help of the firm Arthur D. Little. So far, they have kept up with the image of their predecessor. Last year, Dow disclosed that its Indian subsidiary, DE-Nocil, had slipped more than Rs80 lakhs under the table to Indian officials for approval of their three pesticide products – including one called Dursban. Local people were charged with bribery and criminal conspiracy, but sadly, no action was ever taken to revoke the product approval. Dursban was banned in the United States in 2000, after it was found that exposure to it caused headaches, vomiting, and diarrhoea, and risked permanent neurological damage to children.
It is still manufactured and sold here. Other controversies include an investment in an R&D facility project in Shinde-Vasuli in Maharashtra. Civil society groups claim it concealed information about 20 hazardous chemicals it would manufacture at the plant. In protest, the residents of Shinde-Vasuli dug up their own roads to keep out Dow's construction teams. The protest is still in progress and so is the project. Coming back to the Bhopal issue, our own people have consistently let us down in the forms of NEERI and MPPCB, but that is another story fit for another article. I don't know how they can sleep at night at the expense of the tears of the many victims. I wonder if there is a particular religion that they follow that allows them to be so indifferent to the chronic sufferings of the many who have been left incapacitated and stranded by their godforsaken condition.
For those of you, who believe that the worst is over, think again. The ones who died on the night of 3 December 1984, were the unfortunate victims, but the ones who survived that night of calamity are living a nightmare. There is a clause in a contract that we adopt and agree to as members of the society. This is a social clause that puts the responsibility for the ones less fortunate than us, on those who are a little more fortunate. This is how our society has evolved.
But, I guess some of us just don't want to evolve.
For the sake of argument, let us consider the sabotage angle. Even if that were true, doesn't it fall upon Union Carbide to try and repair the damage caused "unintentionally". Is it so difficult for a billion dollar corporation to take the responsibility of a few thousand survivors and work towards preventing their evils from spreading further. The statement on their website makes for quite an interesting read, which has by the way, been written by none other than Burson-Mosteller, a top PR firm. They try their best to dissociate themselves from the disaster. I don't understand how they can think they have the right to mock our intelligence.
The story moves forward - in February 6, 2001, Dow Chemicals paid US$12 billion to acquire Union Carbide, of course after they had done everything under the sun to wash their hands off any responsibility for the tragedy, by enlisting the help of the firm Arthur D. Little. So far, they have kept up with the image of their predecessor. Last year, Dow disclosed that its Indian subsidiary, DE-Nocil, had slipped more than Rs80 lakhs under the table to Indian officials for approval of their three pesticide products – including one called Dursban. Local people were charged with bribery and criminal conspiracy, but sadly, no action was ever taken to revoke the product approval. Dursban was banned in the United States in 2000, after it was found that exposure to it caused headaches, vomiting, and diarrhoea, and risked permanent neurological damage to children.
It is still manufactured and sold here. Other controversies include an investment in an R&D facility project in Shinde-Vasuli in Maharashtra. Civil society groups claim it concealed information about 20 hazardous chemicals it would manufacture at the plant. In protest, the residents of Shinde-Vasuli dug up their own roads to keep out Dow's construction teams. The protest is still in progress and so is the project. Coming back to the Bhopal issue, our own people have consistently let us down in the forms of NEERI and MPPCB, but that is another story fit for another article. I don't know how they can sleep at night at the expense of the tears of the many victims. I wonder if there is a particular religion that they follow that allows them to be so indifferent to the chronic sufferings of the many who have been left incapacitated and stranded by their godforsaken condition.
For those of you, who believe that the worst is over, think again. The ones who died on the night of 3 December 1984, were the unfortunate victims, but the ones who survived that night of calamity are living a nightmare. There is a clause in a contract that we adopt and agree to as members of the society. This is a social clause that puts the responsibility for the ones less fortunate than us, on those who are a little more fortunate. This is how our society has evolved.
But, I guess some of us just don't want to evolve.
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