Bhopal- On the 40th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, survivors gathered Tuesday for a protest march, demanding justice and recognition for the ongoing health impacts of the disaster. The march, organized by the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, saw hundreds of people, including women, men, and children, carrying placards and effigies symbolizing "corporate crime."

The protesters marched around the abandoned Union Carbide factory site, chanting slogans like "Bhopal Ka Insaaf Karo" (Justice for Bhopal). They condemned national and international leaders, relief organizations, and the Dow Chemical Company, which acquired Union Carbide, for their alleged role in denying justice and adequate support to the survivors.

Rachna Dhingra, a representative of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, highlighted the ongoing suffering of the survivors. "The Union Carbide Corporation-owned Dow Chemical's business in India has increased more than 10 times, however, the government failed to provide justice to Bhopal gas victims," she stated. Dhingra also expressed hope that US President-designate Donald Trump might address the issue, given his commitment to "making America great again."

Balkrishna Namdeo, another activist, pointed to scientific studies indicating the continuing health problems faced by the estimated half-million survivors and their children. He criticized the central and state governments for the slow pace of cleanup efforts at the factory site, claiming that hazardous chemicals are still contaminating the groundwater. He added that in the past 10 years, contaminated groundwater has moved 3 kilometers into the city, despite the polluter pays principle requiring Dow Chemical to clean it up.

The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, when methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from Union Carbide's pesticide plant. The disaster's aftermath continues to affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, with estimates of the death toll varying widely from 5,000 to 15,000. The exact number of casualties remains a point of contention, with some reports suggesting as many as 9,667 deaths attributable to the disaster up to 1994.