Born on the day the toxic gas swept across the city, this girl
was named Gas Devi - 'gas goddess' - by her parents. |
Background
The Bhopal disaster in India, in 1984, was the world's worst
chemical disaster. Toxic gas leaked from the poorly maintained
and understaffed plant owned by Union Carbide, killing up to
20,000 people and leaving 120,000 chronically ill.
The survivors have never received adequate compensation for
their debilitating illnesses and even 19 years after the disaster,
the polluted site of the abandoned factory, bleeds poisons daily
into the groundwater of local residents. Bhopal is an ongoing
disaster and Union Carbide's new owners, Dow Chemical, should
pay to clean up the toxic mess.
20th Anniversary Fund
Your gift will be put in a fund that will be created for the
upcoming 20th anniversary of the disaster. The fund will provide
economic rehabilitation for the survivors and their families
by providing small micro loans to enable them to start their
own businesses.
Many of the survivors find it difficult or impossible to find
work due to illnesses caused by the gas leak and/or loss of
other family members. Loans from the fund will help provide
a future from many of the survivors.
Why send well water to Dow?
The polluted well water is a potent symbol of Dow's negligence.
Every day Dow ignores Bhopal, residents must use polluted well
water. The abandoned factory site is leaking deadly toxics into
the groundwater that residents use everyday. Dow Chemical has
ignored all calls asking them to clean up the mess. Thousands
of emails, faxes and phone call from the public have been rebuffed
or ignored.
Dow's only reaction to the survivors calls for justice has been
to take them to court and sue
them for US$10,000.
Bottles of polluted water from concerned citizens around the
world will step up the pressure on Dow to clean up Bhopal before
the 20th anniversary of the disaster next year.
Take a tour of the polluted
factory site.
More:
Read an appeal direct from the
survivors for justice from Dow Chemical.
View the three part slideshow on the Bhopal disaster by award
winning magnum photographer Ragu Rai:
Part One - Immediate
aftermath and the tragic effects of an avoidable disaster.
Part Two - Devastating
effects on local people still suffering 19 years later.
Part Three - Suffering
but not in silence- Will Dow listen to calls to clean
up Bhopal?
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