A group of 10 women survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy on Friday started an indefinite hunger strike demanding that the state government and the Centre provide correct figures of victims before the Supreme Court.
The women sat on strike at Neelam Park in state capital Bhopal. Rachna Dhingra, a social worker who works for Bhopal gas tragedy victims, said, "We will neither drink water nor eat food. We have only one demand, which is that the Union government and the Madhya Pradesh government put out correct figures of Bhopal gas tragedy victims -- those who died and those still undergoing treatment -- before the Supreme Court."
"These women are not seeking compensation from the government. All they want is that the central and state governments come out with correct data on the number of deaths and survivors still suffering from the after-effects before the apex court," she added.
"The Central government has said that 93 per cent of the victims did not suffer any harm and they have only been given Rs 25,000 each as compensation. Hospital records and ICMR research records show that even today, the victims are suffering from different diseases. Union Carbide's own documents show that once someone is exposed to MIC (Methyl isocyanate) gas, he will suffer from it for a lifetime even if he gets immediate treatment," the social worker said.
"Now, after several years, the matter will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court again on January 10, 2023. It is a historic opportunity for the central government to take the right call. The BJP governments at the Centre and states should make sure that correct data is released and Union Carbide and Dow Chemical are penalised," Dingra added.
Several thousands lost their lives after a deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.
( With inputs from ANI )
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