By Vijay Phanshikar :
EVEN as the authorities are engaged as per strict protocol in the work to remove chemical waste from the Union Carbide factory and even as different concerns come up about the disposal, the minds of common Bhopalites dart back to those harrowing hours so many years ago when the city lost hundreds of people in one single night and kept losing many more as days passed due to inhalation of the leaked poisonous gas. Even the lapse of time of four dace has not erased the harrowing memories of one of the worst industrial disasters in human history. Bhopal is still smarting under some of its ill effects even today.
The loosefooter talked about that terrible experience those many years ago when he was among the few early journalists who rushed in for the coverage of the disaster. His being still trembles as he remembers the shrill screams from shanties of Jaya Prakash Nagar. He shudders even today as he recalls how countless people stumbled out of their homes gasping for breath and collapsing on the ground in human heaps.
Today, however, the purpose is not to restoke those dirty memories, but it is to pay tributes to the city whose
population faced the problem with fortitude. True, the city did suffer the physical and mental as well as
socio-economic pangs of the tragedy for long years. Yet, despite that shock, the city did emerge stronger and held itself together and rose from the ashes of those
benumbing memories.
Of course, life does not stop in its tracks when such a tragedy hits hard. Every city has risen above such terrible experiences. And when tragedy struck, Bhopal, too, did demonstrate its own share of fortitude. This story will always be remembered everywhere in the world.
Now, Bhopal can claim to have acquired a lot of industry in industrial estates around its perimeter. Some industrial estates such as the one in Govindpura are within its own limits, as well. Yet, there are no apprehensions of any disaster since the industry in general has learned its right lessons well.
That time, too, what happened was nothing but a
massive industrial accidents with terrible repercussions.
There were people then, and there are people even now, to accuse the Union Carbide management of a deliberate neglect. That charge, of course, was rather too off the mark. But there was no doubt in any mind that the Union Carbide management was guilty of criminal negligence.
Of course, there is no need to dwell on that point now after 40 years of the disaster. Yet, suffice it is to remind ourselves the importance of utmost care and caution when involved reagents in a process have poisonous parts that could kill humans.
Bhopal has walked past Jaya Prakash Nagar tragedy, all right. Yet, it must be stated that the memory of that
terrible night can never be erased.n