Feature story - December 2, 2004
HYDERABAD, India — Hundreds of Greenpeace supporters and friends of Bhopal participated in a candle light vigil as part of the Global Day of Action to express their solidarity with the Bhopal gas disaster survivors. It was 20 years ago when Bhopal suffered the world's worst industrial disaster leaving thousands dead and disabled for life. Bearing candles and photos of people stricken by the poisonous gas leak, the activists are calling on DOW Chemical to take full responsibility for Bhopal.
Global Day of Action against Corporate Crime
"Thousands around the world are remembering Bhopal and what it
stands for today - the danger of the chemical age, double standards
and lack of accountability of multi-national corporations," said
Bidhan Chandra, Greenpeace campaigner in Hyderabad. He further
said, "Even as we gather here, there are 1000 Bhopal waiting to
happen like in Patencheru, where toxic chemicals are being
produced, without any safety measures, and are contaminating the
environment.
Organizations
and individuals in 19 countries and seven Indian cities including
Bhopal are organizing candle light vigils, forming human chains,
staging dharnas to commemorate the anniversary of Bhopal
Addressing the media, Bidhan added, "In an increasingly
globalized world, there is a need for corporations like DOW to use
consistent standards around the world and take responsibility for
their operations. If this disaster had happened in Europe or the
US, the site would have been cleaned and the people fully
compensated."
Greenpeace
and International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) are
demanding that DOW, the multinational chemical leader, pays for the
health treatment of the survi-vors, cleans up the large stockpiles
of dangerous poisons left behind at the factory site since the
disaster and cleans up the contaminated underground water.
For more information please contact:
Bidhan Chandra, Greenpeace India campaigner in Hyderabad +91
98455 35405
Vinuta Gopal, Greenpeace India campaigner in Bhopal, + 91 98455
35418
Anshuman Atraney, Media Officer, Greenpeace India +91 98455
35403