Thirty one year ago on this morning, more than 2,000 innocent people had already died in Bhopal. Death had stealthily crept in the wee hours as a leak of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal stalked the streets and slums of the city as an unseen but savage beast. The wounds: physical, medical and psychological are yet to heal. In fact, if you think again, 1984 was a particularly traumatic year for India. First, came the army assault on the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. Then came the assassination of Indira Gandhi, followed by the systematic "revenge" massacre of more than 3,000 Sikhs on the leafy by lanes and roads of Delhi. As if that were not enough, Bhopal was brutalized on December 3, 1984. Along with the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in the former Soviet Union, Bhopal counts as one of the worst industrial disasters of the 20th century. Many will join the bandwagon of mourning since it would be the thing to do; many will mourn silently. Tall promises will be made and nonsensical statements issued. But at the core of it, Bhopal must remind us of five lessons that we must never forget.
1) Only Fools Place Implicit Trust In Private Multinationals: This is not akin to a Leftist rant. The author understands that multinationals are here to stay in this globalized world. Indeed, they might often do good by bringing in capital, new technology and improved wages and productivity. But never blindly trust them. Every time a multinational company spokesperson preens about how the company puts common and public good as a top priority, smile derisively and remind her about Bhopal. The fact is Union Carbide did not lift a finger to even prevent the needless monstrosity. There were repeated warnings about lack of safety in the Bhopal plant and many cases of workers and engineers being injured or even dying because of unsafe working conditions. Most of us have forgotten about this appalling insensitivity of Union Carbide. Sadly, dozens of multinationals before, and since Bhopal, have demonstrated that they can go to any lengths for market shares and profits. Clear lesson number one: work with them, but never trust them implicitly.
2) Poor Lives Are Definitely Cheaper: After years of litigation, US based Union Carbide was required to shell out $470 million to the victims of the tragedy in an out of court settlement with the Government of India. By the time the government decided some time in 2006 that all compensation had been parceled out: 22 years after the tragedy and after a stern Supreme Court reminder in 2004. Family members of those who died (3787 of them according to final official estimates), got average compensation of about Rs 65,000. Those injured got far less. There can be no doubt that had an incident like this happened in the United States, billions of dollars would have been imposed on the company as penalties and compensation. The figure of Rs 65,000 or so, paid almost 22 years after a family member has died can only be a cruel joke. But this has been displayed repeatedly even after Bhopal. The value of poor lives has always been lower, and remains so.
3) Politicians & Bureaucrats Often Ignore Public Interest: One of the more depressing parts of the depressing Bhopal saga is the disgraceful behavior of politicians and bureaucrats. The Madhya Pradesh police spent more manpower, time and resources dispersing people protesting against Union Carbide and government apathy with brutal lathi charges than in investigating the case and bringing the culprits to book. The actions of the then chief minister of the state, the late Arjun Singh have been reported in great detail, to the abiding shame of the political class in India. The fact is: Warren Anderson, the chief executive of Union Carbide was given a state plane to fly out of Bhopal to Delhi and then on to the United States from where he cocked a thumb at all charges and warrants against him till he died in 2013. And then there is the Bhopal Gas Disaster Act passed by the Parliament that allowed the government of India to be the sole body representing the victims and their families. Once the Act was passed, the government did everything to undermine the interests of the victims.
4) Civil Society Groups Are A Necessary "Nuisance": Perhaps the only group of people that emerged as heroes in this sordid saga were civil society groups, or NGOs. Of course, there were NGOs who fed off the tragedy. There always are. But if civil society groups had not turned the Bhopal disaster into a crusade, even the meager compensation and the inadequate medical attention that the victims got would not have been possible. It is civil society groups that spread word about the extent of the tragedy and did everything possible with small resources to awaken the global conscience. Every time we feel that pesky NGOs are becoming a "nuisance" and an hindrance to economic growth and development, we must take a deep breath and remember their role in the aftermath of Bhopal
5) The Indian Legal System Is Broke: We really don't need a reminder of Bhopal to accept this ghastly reality. But it is a sobering reminder nevertheless. The disaster hit Bhopal in December, 1984. It was only 26 years later that a bunch of old men in their 70s were convicted for their responsibility in the "crime". No American ever faced any justice. And even the bunch of old men who were sentenced to two years jail were soon released on bail. This is but one example of what happens in the Indian judicial system. It is simply pointless to write more on this deep cancer within Indian democracy.
