<b>“Living things have been doing just that for a long, long time. Through every kind of disaster and setback and catastrophe, existence continued because we are the survivors.”- Robert Fulghum</b> <br><br>Two years back, being refused a visit to Dow Chemical’s Union Carbide Plant pained my heart, until I grabbed the opportunity as soon I got it again this month. Visiting Bhopal has always been like going to home, but on this particular occasion my reasons were purely professional i.e. to visit the gas tragedy’s disastrous site, which brought death and destruction in Bhopal 25 years back. <br><br>The Bhopal gas calamity is the worst industrial failure to have ever occured in the world. On the superseding night of Dec 2/3, 1984, tonnes of Methyl Isocyanate, a poisonous gas and other lethal gases leaked out of the Union Carbide Corporation’s pesticide plant, killing more than 2400 people instantly and crippling several thousands for life. <br><br>Although plans of a memorial are on the table, the site is prohibited to visitors. Hence, first I had to take the permission from the SDM Bhopal, GP Mali, who after much quizzing granted me the go-ahead to visit the area with a camcorder. <br><br>On ground-zero, the ruins of the factory are painted with several drawings depicting the onslaught of the horrible night. It is no more than a relic now, with only shadows of the hollow murderous buildings, which stand abandoned today and tell the dark tale of the death and destruction they brought, accompanied with the never-ending pain and sorrow in the eyes of those who were punished to survive the unfortunate incident. <br><br>
These dilapidated structures are close to JP Nagar where victims of the aftermath reside. Studying in Bhopal for two years, I never imagined that a place like this could have ever existed. The word slum also does not fit in with the situation there. The picture is pathetic with no development at all. Residents are jobless and have nothing in the name of an income. Many of them got the Rs 25000 relief amount but as one of them plainly said, “What happens in that much today?” <br><br>
Children spend their time splashing around in the dirty pools of water as they have no schools to attend. There is little scope of improving their fate. <br><br>
The colony has no properly constructed houses. Some have made theirs out of tents, others have erected one room houses using only mud and ply. There is no sanitation and hygiene around. Not even a single house has proper toilet facilities . In the evening, the situation worsens with mosquitoes having a free rein! People have nothing to protect themselves against cold. Drinking water is not potable; I avoided drinking it after the first sip- all this apart from the post-disaster effects that they suffer from. <br><br>
But as we are well aware, humanity continues with its successes and failures. That’s what I witnessed here too. The victim families have readily accepted their fates. They seem to have realized that no one would be able to share their destiny or pain and nobody can help them out of it, apart from perhaps their will-power and belief. With their never-say-die attitude, they are trying to make the best of what they are left with. <br><br>
Bhopal Gas Tragedy is a catastrophe that has no parallel in the history of industrialisation. Although Bhopal stood firm in the face of disaster, its magnitude and impact seems everlasting and quietly eating away the foundations of the City. The pain and tears in many eyes tell us of a long wait for justice. <br><br>
NGOs and others raise slogans but are of little help otherwise. The victims don’t even want Warren Anderson, chemical factory head, to be punished nor do they want any kind of fake promises from the government. What they actually want are basic amenities, employment, education for their children and a peaceful environment to co-exist with the rest of the world. Why can’t we give them that? Is it so difficult to grant?
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My experience there made me ponder that there is so much suffering in the world, but we are so distressed with our trifles that we tend to forget the suffering of others. We think our problems are the greatest and there is no end to the sourness. But are all our troubles actually bigger than what these people are going through? Life for them is hard and miserable with nobody to turn to, not even the government.
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Tragedies are always painful, but the after-effects are even more difficult to cope with. Their lives teach us to respect what we have rather than crib for what we don’t. Their grief is endless, but our one thought or prayer or act of help can also make a difference to their lives. <br><br>
I remember what one of my friends said here: Us raat kee subah phir kabhi nahin hui....aaj tak nahin....victims kee zindagi aaj bhi andheri hai....par unhe ab bhi ujaale kee ummeed hai.... aur ham bhi bas yahi kar sakte hain ki unke liye dua karein…. (There was never a morning to that horrible night. Victims’ live still in the dark, but they hope for sunshine. All we can do for them is pray.)