A day-long Bhopal bandh observed by all the five gas survivors organisations on Tuesday for demanding adequate compensation, based on the actual number of persons killed and affected in the 1984 gas disaster, was successful with markets and transport services remained closed in support of the protest.
The bandh was called by various organisations representing the victims, including those actually died and those affected, in the gas leak tragedy. The bandh evoked maximum response in Old Bhopal where the defunct Union Carbide factory is situated, while it was partial in New Bhopal localities.
The bandh call was initiated by various groups and NGOs fighting for the cause of the victims, including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha, and Children Against Dow-Carbide.
The protest was supported by CPI, CPM, Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, the Bhopal Chamber of Commerce, local transport and labour associations among others and a rally was taken out on the occasion.
The protesters were demanding that the Centre should declare exact figures of persons died in the disaster and those affected till date in the aftermath of the tragedy and should accordingly award adequate compensation to them.
The infamous gas tragedy hit Bhopal on the intervening nights of December 2-3, 1984 in which over 15,000 people were believed to have been killed and thousands maimed, besides leaving several others scarred for life.
It was a total bandh in the Old Bhopal areas, as all the shops remained closed till evening. The members of Congress party had on Monday organised a rally supporting the shutdown. However, on Tuesday, they remained missing from the stage.
Bhopal residents have been suffering since the leakage of the lethal Methyl Iso Cyanate gas from the Union Carbide plant in December 1984.
Source: The Daily Pioneer
