The 20th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster saw an outpouring of support from several cities around the world, including seven in India.
2004 was a good year for Greenpeace India; close to the end of
the year, we reached a critical milestone - ten thousand new
supporters have joined our family this year, giving us that
additional strength to plough ahead in 2005.
We bring you a brief recap of the high points of the year; the
'Recent News' section (or 'Related Stories' linked on the right
side of this page) will give you more details on each of these, and
allow you to browse through all the headlines of 2004.
The major victories of our campaign against Toxics this
year:
The SCMC (Supreme Court Hazardous Wastes Monitoring Committee)
slammed Hindustan Lever Ltd. with a 50 crore fine to clean up its
illegal dumping of mercury in Kodaikanal and rehabilitate its
affected ex-workers.
Greenpeace India's environmental sampling reports and health
surveys in Eloor were studied seriously by the SCMC visiting
Kerala, which later went on to fine all industries in the belt and
institute vital measures to remedy the deadly industrial pollution
in the area.
Greenpeace India was central to a key victory at Basel
Convention, which finally recognised ships-for-scrap to be toxic
waste. This will from now on severely restrict and hopefully stop
the dumping of ships for breaking on Indian shores, unless they are
detoxified by the ship-owners first.
The other key international achievement this year for Greenpeace
is the No Objection Certificate filed by the Government of India in
the US courts to demand that UCIL-Dow clean-up Bhopal. Various
events organised in several countries across the world by
Greenpeace and other member organizations of the International
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, through the year and on the 20th
anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy have put enormous pressure on
Dow. "Exposure- the Portrait of A Corporate Crime", Raghu Rai's
photographic exhibition on the horrific aftermath of the tragedy,
was taken to several metros by Greenpeace, in an effort to keep
Bhopal in the consciousness of the nation. The 20th anniversary of
the disaster was marked by protests and demonstrations in several
cities, including seven cities in India where Greenpeace pitched in
to help ensure that the world would Remember Bhopal.
The Greenpeace study "Community Health at Medak" clearly
established industrial pollution at Medak District as the cause of
high incidence of life threatening diseases. This is proving to be
a useful tool for local communities in their fight for their lives
and the futures of their children.
Greenpeace India's Sustainable Agriculture scored some big wins
this year as well.
Monsanto's patent on "Nap Hal" wheat was revoked in entirety by
the European Union's Patent office, primarily due to legal
opposition filed by Greenpeace that proved that this was actually a
strain of Indian wheat, cultivated and bred for its special
properties by generations of Indian farmers.
The "Say No to Genetic Engineering" campaign first pinned down
the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee and the Department of
Bio- Technology to make public all GE field trial data and then
went on to corner Bayer Crop Sciences into admitting that they had
abandoned experimenting with GE vegetables. Greenpeace India worked
very hard this year to reach out to policy makers, consumers, the
media, and exporters to warn them of the irreversible dangers of GE
food.
Greenpeace India's nation-wide study "Arrested Development"
showed conclusively that children of farming communities in high
pesticide use areas like cotton growing belts, were seriously
affected by their exposure to these toxic chemicals. Shocking
deficits were found in their mental developmental abilities
(analytical and motor skills, concentration and memory).
Dissemination of this study in five cities and the consequent media
coverage and concern expressed by authorities has sent the
pesticide industry in a spin and they are now trying to muzzle our
activities by threatening to file a slap-suit against us. Public
hearings held by Greenpeace in 5 cotton growing districts has built
awareness amongst farmers of the lethal effects of chemical
pesticides, as well as of viable alternatives.
Greenpeace India's Energy Team has sent Reliance Energy on the
defensive by filing a petition with the Regulatory authority of
Orissa demanding mandatory supply of 10 percent of electricity in
State from renewable energy as notified by the Indian
government.
The Rainbow Warriors' ship tour of the East Coast of India
kicked off Greenpeace India's Oceans campaign and successfully set
the agenda for protection of our coasts.
We at Greenpeace India, are all looking forward to working
together next year to meet our aspiration for a clean, green and
peaceful planet.