Sushmita Dutta
December 3rd in the history of Madhya Pradesh is a Black Day. On this day, the noxious gases from the Union Carbide in 1984 swept through the city claiming thousands of lives. As the tragic incident completed its 25th year, the factory was supposed to open for public but the matter is still pending with the MP High Court.
The factory which started with a noble purpose of giving jobs to millions and to produce cheap pesticides for farmers turned into deadly trap and earned the ignominy of the worst ever industrial disaster in the world.
Almost 2000 people were dead and as many as 3 lakh were injured, but after 25 years the pain of those who survived is still very sharp. The families’ of several victims are yet to get the compensation. There are people who still suffer from lot of ailments and are leading the life of partial blindness, defective immune systems, severe depression and menstrual disorders in women.
City of Lakes pined for water
The capital city of Bhopal had an extremely trying time in the summer season, as it witnessed a severe water crisis.
The lakes, the primary source of water to the city, had all dried up causing immense pain to the inhabitants. People resorted to buying water from tankers to run through their daily chores. Long queues for water had become the norm of the day, and the city witnessed numerous incidents of fights over water.
The administration was left clueless, as it was left with no resources to meet people’s demand. Ultimately, rain god gave respite to the city as well as its residents.
First Published: Monday, December 21, 2009, 16:36