Bhopal Gas Disaster: Will Industry ever Accept Health Impact Evidence?

There is a debate over the recent ICMR's call for research proposals to investigate long term genetic effects of bhopal gas disaster on the population sarrounding disaster site. While scientific community is concerned over the methodological challenges involved in doing such research studies for validity reasons, many advocacy groups welcome such studies.

If we expect by launching research on genetic study now, the results could be used for advocacy tool to help seek justice to Bhopal gas victims, by taking these scientific evidence to the courts that will result in union carbide meekly accepting verdict and be forced to provide compensation and relief to the Bhopal gas victims…. then I am afraid we are being very too naïve about corporate games.

Insisting for causal link has been one of the alibi used by Industry to keep on procrastinating and diverting attention. Industry chaps are smart enough to know that eliciting such one-to-one link is long drawn process very often decades-generations pass by.

Historically too, Industry has very successfully used this very coy for self defence, right from Landmark studies by Doll and Hill in 1950s very first time linking cigertte smoking and Lung Cancer- expectedly Tobacco industry scoffed at results and reject it outrightly.

The link between Asbestose and mesothelioma has been proven beyond doubt way back in 1940s, but asbestose mining and industry have shown scant respect to any of these evidence are are still thriving industry in India inspite of international ban.

More contemporary examples have been studies on aerial Endosulphan spray on cashew plantaion in Kasargod(Kerala) and birth defects outcomes in 1990s leading to ban on endosulphan. Inspite of all the studies including international experts coming down to india , still the endosulphan industry managed to get the stay order and spraying was resumed.

Personally, I have seen it all, being in the centre of their game, I along with my colleagues have been involved in legal battle with pesticide industry for documenting and publishing occupational health hazards of pesticides among cotton farmers in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. The case has been going on since 2003. But before they dragged us to court they tried persuade us withdraw our findings, not to publish it etc. when we did not relent, they sent us legal notices, threatened us with compensation of 10 crore!- our crime- “harming their buisness interests”!! Classic example of corporate intimidation indeed. Court thing is the card they play because they know once in court the case keeps going on for ages. I along with my colleagues have to make personal appearance at court in AP -a ritual that we are used to every 6 months. Now the case has move to Supreme court.

Morale of the story.

Lets not fall into Industry games of distracting us from the real issue. Science may be sancro sanct to all of us. But Industry has hardly shown any respect for any scientific research findings.. The core issue is to provide relief and compensation to bhopal gas victims for all the suffering which they are waiting for last 25 years.

At least on the 25th anniversary, I suggest the stand we should be taking is Union carbide as an MNC along better own up its misdeeds in India . Rather than we PROVING something (adverse health outcome), Let us reverse the tables on them and insist that onus should be on Union Carbide to DISPROVE that certain grivious and previously unknown rare medical problems rightly mentioned by you among exposed victims are NOT because of MIC exposure and let the Industry launch studies to search for alternative explanation how and why it occurred if not for MIC, let them come out with an explanation

This is acceptable in the court of law, There have been many precedents where courts have shifted the onus of proving something on the perpetrator of the crime rather than the victims proving their innocence.

I am reminded of one of Galib’s shayari in urdu- which so aptly summarises Bhopal gas victim’s predicament- on how much more they needs to show their pain (to Industry) even after 25 years…..which is equally true for endless evidence we have to show..

dard-e-dil likhuun kab tak? Jaauun un ko dikhalaa duun
Ugaliyaan figaar apanii KhaamaaKhoon_chakaan apanaa

[figaar=wounded/sore, Khaam/green/raw/sore]
[KhaamaaKhoon.N= fresh blood, chakaan=dripping]

roughly translated…

“how long should I ( Bhopal gas victim) write about my pain ( for last 25 years), let me go and show(to union carbide), my finger which have not only become sore& raw but have got wounded and blood is dripping from the fingers”.


regards,

--
Dr. Rajan R Patil
Asst Professor.
Division of Epidemiology
School of Public Health
SRM University
Potheri, Kattankulathur - 603203
Greater Chennai,
INDIA.

Cell: 9600110872
Email : rajanpatil@yahoo.com