Dancing In Bhopal

The current episode of media frenzy over Bhopal is waning now. Today the Cabinet will discuss Group of Minister’s (GoM) report on Bhopal, which is likely to be approved with some superficial change here and there. The Communist parties are done giving their usual sound bytes,  the gas victim activists have played their part. 

The known steps of an old dance has been performed again, with expectations of repeat performances in near future.

The GoM, formed to divert attention of nation from the recent Bhopal verdict, to protect the Nuclear Liability Bill , offering Rs. 300 crore liability for nuclear plants (recent Indian broadband wireless auctions earned the government more than 38,000 crores) and stop talking about Bhopal during the visit of US president Obama to India. The media, and in turn the people in general, were fed with rumors about extradition of Anderson and many other claims. Reading tweets of just one person is more fruitful then waiting for 26 years (and counting) for the Indian government to find out the truth.

From $500 “enough for an Indian”, to Rs 10 Lakh/death; from not finding Rs 983 crores since 2008 to finding the money in 983 seconds and releasing it a few hours before the first meeting of GoM (link), Indian Rupees, with a new symbol, is the be all and end all solution for every problem.

Meanwhile, the city of Bhopal has become as synonymous with gas as football is with Brazil.  Bhopal’s economy has stalled, in spite of industrial success. Proposals (1, 2)  for moving beyond the gas is floated time to time, all eventually going up in gas.

Bhopal tourism has lately developed the added attraction of the gas tragedy site to it's portfolio. The government has identified the opportunity and proposes to add the Bhopal Union Carbide site as a tourist attraction. Interestingly, one minister has stated earlier that the groundwater in the factory area is now potable and the chemicals will be washed away by rain, while even today the agencies are at dark over how to clean the site.

Even the activists for Bhopal Gas Victims, are a divided lot. In place of complementing each other, there appears to be little or no coordination between the agencies (check this). Inspite of the considerable mind share and awareness about Bhopal incidence in the world and funds from donations, book royalty (Animal’s People, Five Past Midnight At Bhopal), the actual victims of Bhopal continue to suffer and die. 

The dance performance started more than 25 years ago continues.