Tragedies and Indifference

 Way back in December 1984 at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, owing to gross negligence of maintenance norms (according to several reports), a poisonous gas Methyl Isocyanide leaked into the atmosphere. Over the next several hours, days, months and years, this leak led to extreme poisoning of the natural resources, several people developed cancer. The agency responsible for this gross negligence was an Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide viz. UCIL. 

Owing to lack of efforts from several corners of governance, the people of Bhopal did not get suitable compensation for the damages that happened to their health. Furthermore, the toxic waste at the site of was not removed owing to lack of initiative. Consequently, several non-government organizations and student groups started raising awareness amongst people, regarding obtaining reparations from Union Carbide. 

In due course of time, in 2001, Union Carbide (UCC) was taken over by DOW Chemicals. Owing to the pressure created by the NGOs it was decided that the responsibility for the reparations shall be also handed over to DOW Chemicals. According to a webpage of DOW, it has denied inheriting any responsibility for the disaster, both from UCIL and UCC.  

I, especially and perhaps fondly, recall an incident where a First Tier Institute of India, sought sponsorship from DOW Chemicals for an academic conference. This information somehow caught the attention of the student organization named “Students for Bhopal” (currently https://www.bhopal.net). The volunteers of this organization approached the convener of the conference, who rebuked them regarding objecting to a matter which was not their concern. Consequently, the volunteers approached the students’ body of the institute, and following the pressure from the students, the sponsorship offer from DOW Chemicals was turned down. 

I have used the above incident to building a context. 

Pretty recently, a Chemical company sent tankers carrying Sodium Hydrosulphide (NaHS) to Surat, and dumped the waste illegally thus causing deaths of people (https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/6-die-of-toxic-gas-from-tanker-dumping-chemical-waste-7710482/, https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/surat/surat-sangam-enviro-charges-discharging-hazardous-waste-sachin-creek-7734511/). This caused the case to be noted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and the necessary documents on the website of NGT can be found and downloaded from the internet (Here: https://greentribunal.gov.in/sites/default/files/news_updates/AFFIDAVIT%20BY%20MPCB%20IN%20MA%20NO.%2046%20of%202022%20IN%20OA%20NO.%2005%20of%202022%20(NEWS%20ITEM%20PUBLISHED%20IN%20THE%20INDIAN%20EXPRESS%20DATED%2007.01.2022%20TITLED%20GUJARAT%20AT%20LEAST%2006%20DEAD,%2020%20SICK%20AFTER%20GAS%20LEAK%20AT%20INDUSTRIAL%20AREA%20IN%20SURAT).pdf) 

Now, can such a company wash its hands off? Should academic institutions take the responsibility for washing off such careless deeds. The news is that such events have happened. Inspite of the Engineer’s ethical responsibility towards the society and the environment, a Memorandum of Understanding was indeed signed between the Chemical company dumping toxic waste, and an academic institution. This incident throws light on how morally weak certain so-called academic leaders are. This also flashes back on the memories of the irresponsible acts of people which followed up the incident on the black nights of December 2 and 3 at Bhopal. 

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