It has been labeled as the world’s worst industrial disaster. Thirty years ago, on December 2-3 night, a cloud of deadly methyl-isocyanate enveloped the sleeping innocents in the neighbourhood of the Union Carbide plant that killed at least 3000 immediately and left thousands others suffering a lingering death. Even after three decades of struggle, justice remains a distant cry.
In this second of the six part series, TwoCircles.net finds out that scores of women widowed that night continue to live in pathetic conditions and face health hazard.
(Read Part I here: “It was difficult for mothers to save their children, for children to save their aged parents”)
By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: As one enters the Gas Vidhwa Colony – it earned the moniker as it was set up as a colony to rehabilitate women widowed after Bhopal gas tragedy – the ever pervading stench hits your olfactory senses. Debris, over-flowing sewer and garbage strewn everywhere just add to the overall dismal condition at this poverty-stricken neighbourhood with poor sanitation and missing public health facilities.
Clearly, not a government rehabilitation colony but a multi-storey slum cluster! But rehabilitation colony it is – constructed immediately in the aftermath of 1984 disaster to rehabilitate the women who lost their husbands to the horrific gas tragedy.
Thirty years later, just as these widows have become a symbol of resilience and courage in face of adversities, their housing colony is a stinking symbol of government’s indifference towards hundreds and thousands of worst effected surviving victims.
A multi-storey residential neighbourhood, the Gas Vidhwa Colony was constructed on a 50 acre land with Rs 30 crore central funds. Though the then chief minister Sunderlal Patwa had called it as a ‘model town’ it soon turned out to be a half hearted bureaucratic effort, whose slipshod approach and attitude can be witnessed on every single street and every single corner of this colony.
Chirunjibai, Mantibai and Champabai, widows of widow colony
From 1989-1993, over 2,000 widows were accommodated here with one room flat or a pucca houses. Half of the original allottees could not cope up with the everyday struggle and went in search of better avenues, better options. The colony encompasses 10,000 residents, both rented and original owners.
On the intervening night of Dec 2-3, 1984, a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide Corporation’s pesticide plant in this Madhya Pradesh capital had killed and affected thousands of people. Around 3,000 people were killed instantly and many others suffered a lingering death over the years. It left victims injured and maimed, with many suffering lung cancer, kidney and liver failure and eye disorders after coming into contact with toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas.
A dugout inside houses were sewage flows
Inquire about the situation and each one of the widow is ready with a long list of grievances. The desperation to be heard is so strong that even the passerby in the colony will stop to narrate his/her worries even without any introduction.
In 2010, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan made a surprise visit to the colony. It was the first for Chauhan to any gas affected area. In a photo-op, the seasoned politician got his hands full with ‘Rakhis’ tied by widows. They even call themselves his Rakhi Sisters. The chief minister announced to rename the colony as ‘Jivan Jyoti’ (light of life) the traumatize name was removed but the disturbing conditions remained.
A group of old widows, who proudly introduce themselves as Rakhi sisters of the chief minister, bear testimony to the frustration with the general state-of-affairs. Chirunjibai Thakur, apparently the most infuriated, says, “It (the name of the colony) was changed from Vidhwa Colony to Jeevan Jyoti but there is no jeevan (life) here. Life is Nark (hell) in this colony.”
“On one hand, we don’t get proper drinking water and on the other hand, look here,” she points her finger towards the open, over flowing sewer and an open drainage near her veranda. “Sewage is open and stinking, we are very depressed.”
Another widow Manti Bai said after CM’s promises all were jubilant, but their hopes dashed in a year as they still keep staring at ongoing work for a water pipeline. “It is going on for almost four years now. All they will have to do is to dig an old newspaper. We are getting contaminated water, which is often due to mixing of open sewage line.”
Champa Bai, the most aged widow in the group, says in her low voice: “We ask the government to at least think about our new generation.,” Sheeraz bi quips in to show their annoyance, “Government is just eating up funds in the name of renovation of colony. At least, they can and they should is directly distribute that money between us,”
Asked if she is serious about leaving the colony, her immediately response is “Why not? We have suffered and still suffering but we can’t see our grandchildren ailing, we don’t want them to carry legacy of our pain.”
Kulsum Bi
A middle aged Hajera Begum who was standing on sidelines listening to the discussion, insisted us to also speak with her ailing mother. Kulsum Bi, sitting on her bed near a broken window, seems to consider her 6 feet bed as her whole universe. She stays in a one room flat with her only surviving daughter; she is weak and had to gather strength even to move her lips.
But she insists on speaking but breaks down while narrating that she doesn’t have any money for taking medication for her lung infection. Her husband passed away in 1985 after one whole bed-ridden year at the hospital; her eldest daughter suffered from cancer and Kulsum Bi now has to spend all her compensation money on her treatment. The tale of Kulsum Bi resonates with many other widows living in the dilapidated flats.
Masooma Bi
Masoom Bi who rolls beedi’s for survival lives with her handicapped daughter in a room portioned into half while another half is given on rent to earn some extra hundreds. Of all the widows we met, only she sounded positive. “When we were allotted houses in the 1990s, there was no water, no roads, nothing, only concrete roofs. But now situation is little better. We are getting supplied drinking water, through CM’s fund we got our flat repaired.”
But like other widows she has her own set of worries, apart from the usual monthly tension of paying electricity and water bills, at times, it is more about getting basic amenities for survival. The zeal for survival is the only force that keeps her optimistic in extreme conditions.
Open sewage surrounds the colony
Masoom Bi’s optimism is going through a test of time. The state government suddenly stopped the widow pension sanctioned by the union government on the objections of fake beneficiaries and audit flaws. Although the central government sanctioned Rs 1,000 a month, the state government was providing only half of it, but still it was an ample respite for the widows. After blocking of his pension, majority from among the 4,400 beneficiaries are from the Vidhwa Colony.
Several of these fighting survivor victims had sat on a fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi earlier in the month. They withdrew only after the government promised to hike compensation for gas tragedy victims among other things.
But that’s not all. Another sword hanging over their head is the controversial lease. In 1989 houses were allotted on 30 years lease, which is soon to expire. Many widows fear the government will come after them to wipe out once and for all the symbol of its continuing apathy.
Gas disaster seems a distant history for them but the everyday impediments that they face for survival ignites the Bhopal of 1984 every day in their lives.
Slideshow:
TCN Series: