Bhopal: Thirty-nine years have passed since the fateful night of December 2, 1984, when the poisonous gas leak from Union Carbide wreaked havoc on countless families. Regrettably, the bureaucratic negligence persists, and the victims are still awaiting government relief. The ghastly memories of that night linger vividly for the affected families, with the recent revelation that records of hundreds of gas victims in Madhya Pradesh remain undigitalized, hampering their access to free treatment and pension facilities. The Jabalpur High Court in Madhya Pradesh has recently rebuked the government for this lapse.

Embarking on a journey to JP Nagar, Bhopal, The Mooknayak team sought to understand the challenges faced by gas victims residing near Union Carbide. In this area, where gas victims inhabit nearly every household, Rani Shakya's poignant story unfolded. Rani, belonging to the Dalit community, resides in a modest home with her two sons and a disabled daughter. Rani's husband, an auto driver, succumbed to the poisonous gas, leading to his demise. Despite the entire family being affected by the gas, only Rani's father-in-law received free treatment due to being officially recognized as a gas victim. The rest of the family members remain excluded from these benefits.

The impact of contaminated water persists in the region surrounding Union Carbide, a result of massive dumping of factory waste. Post the gas tragedy, residents faced an onslaught of diseases such as cancer, kidney ailments, and disabilities.

Rani's 24-year-old daughter, Bharti Shakya, now disabled and unable to walk, came into contact with the gas leak, even though she was born after the incident. Activists working for gas victims attribute these health issues to the polluted water caused by toxic waste buried near Union Carbide.

In JP Nagar, 70-year-old Bano Bi recounts her harrowing experience from that night. Bano lost her husband during the gas tragedy, and her grandson, exposed to the poisonous gas, passed away eight years ago. Despite her eye problems, for which she wears dark glasses, Bano has not received any government relief. She vividly recalls the night when everyone was overtaken by panic, breathlessness, and burning eyes due to the gas leak. The aftermath was chaotic, with dead bodies scattered around, people in distress, and a desperate search for loved ones. Bano now faces difficulties obtaining pension and proper treatment, contrary to the government's promise of free healthcare for gas victims.

Surprisingly, the data of Bhopal gas victims, as mandated by the Supreme Court's directive on August 9, 2012, remains undigitized even after 11 years. Only 3.41 lakh gas victims have received smart cards to date. The recent admonishment from the Jabalpur High Court highlights the government's failure to fulfill this critical task. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 16, 2024, expressing disappointment over the prolonged delay.

The Mooknayak spoke to Rachna Dhingra, the director of Bhopal Group for Information and Action, who emphasized that despite explicit instructions from the Supreme Court in 2012 and 2018 to digitize the gas victims' data, the government has failed to complete the task. This negligence by officials has deprived victims of proper treatment and access to clean drinking water for many years.

The Gas Relief Department, established by the government for the welfare of gas victims, is responsible for providing relief and issuing cards for free treatment in hospitals, including the Gas Relief Hospital in Gautam Nagar. Additionally, gas victims are entitled to financial assistance of one thousand rupees per month. However, those absent from the digital records face a harsh reality—they are denied free treatment and pension benefits. The enduring pain of those who lost family members that tragic night is exacerbated by the system's negligence rather than alleviated.

Story Translated by Geetha Sunil Pillai

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