Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site crystal.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!uwvax!crystal!ravi From: ravi@crystal.UUCP Newsgroups: net.nlang.india Subject: News from India Message-ID: <437@crystal.UUCP> Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 13:06:57 EST Article-I.D.: crystal.437 Posted: Mon Apr 8 13:06:57 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 9-Apr-85 04:25:47 EST Distribution: net Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept Lines: 177 This came over IITNET. Special segment on the Bhopal tragedy: I. The Albany Times-Union quoted a report in the Daily Telegraph saying that the Union Carbide offered to the Indian government 200 million dollars as an out-of-court settlement for compensation to the victims of the gas leak in Bhopal in December in which 2500 people were killed and tens of thousands were injured. The Indian government reportedly did not accept the offer. Before the report was released, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had reported that the Indian government had rejected a Union Carbide's offer for an out-of-court settlement. The offer was made on behalf of the Union Carbide by its Vice -President Rowe who was in New Delhi recently. Meanwhile the Parliament has passed a law that would give the Indian government the sole right to represent the gas leak victims in any court. II. A number of speakers from India and the US addressed a two day conference entitled "After Bhopal" which was held in Newark, N.J., on March 20-21 sponsored by a number of groups including the Workers Policy Project, New York City, Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, and American Public Health Association. According to Dr. Ramana Dhara, a physician working with an Indian medical group assisting Bhopal victims, Union Carbide and the Indian administration have grossly underestimated the number of deaths and the nature of health problems caused by the gas leak in Bhopal. According to the New York Times, this was also the opinion of many volunatry organizations involved in aid work to the victims of the gas leak in Bhopal. According to Dr. Dhara, number of dead vary somewhere between 5,000-25,000. In the first week inself, 10,000 coffins covers were sold. Four to five muslims were put in one grave but only one receipt was issued. According to another speaker from India, Sagar Dhara, chemical industries in general have emerged as the biggest killer in India; Dhara asserted that almost 100,000 people die every year as a result. Arun Subramanian, an investigative reporter who covered the Bhopal disaster for Business India, pointed out that the basic design of the plant was defective. Even if all the safety devices were working, the gas could not have been controlled. Two main saferty devices, the scrubber and flare tower were to work on the speed different than the speed on which the gas really escapes. According to Barry Castleman, an specialist on the export of hazardous substances to the third world, multinational companies take their hazardous operations to the third world precisely because they want to avoid tough safety regulations and standards set at home so that profit could be maximized. Dr. Nicholas Ashford of MIT was critical of the general American view that by using the same standards to conduct business in the third world, American would be imposing their value system on the third world. He argued that it is hypotrical to say that American industries go to the third world to raise the living standards but not to impose security system to the safety of the community and environment. III. A report in the New York Times said that thousands of people exposed to the poison gas Methyl Isocyanate during the gas leak in December from Union Carbide's plant in Bhopal are suffering from incurable problems with breathing, sleeping, digesting food and performing even light physical labor. The report cited government officials as saying that 5000 to 10000 people will probably never be able to earn a living because of their injuries. According to independent health groups and voluntary organizations involved in relief work, the number of such people could be as high as 50,000. Dr. Ishwar Das, who supervises the medical relief effort for the government, acknowledged that victims of the gas leak appeared to be going from one to another of the 20 dispensaries in the city in a deseprate search for cures that he said did not exist. Commenting on the government's lax attitude about providing medical relief to victims, Suhasini Mulay of the Citizens' Committee for Relief and Rehabilitation, said, "I think it is a medical cover up." Mulay who made an award-winning documentary on Bhagalpur Blindings has made a documentary on Bhopal victims. IV. Raaj Kumar Keswani who wrote articles more than two years ago, warning of safety hazards at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal has been chosen as a receipient of BD Goenka Award for 1984 for preseverence and protecting the public interests. Keswani is to share the award of Rs 100,000 with another jouralist who wrote about the political situation in Punjab. Keswani's initial articles appeared in a small weekly Hindi-language newspaper. They later appeared in Jansatta, a Hindi publication of the Indian Express chain. He started writing in 1982 following a small accident in 1981 in which one worker died. In his articles, Keswani had particularly warned of danger from storage tanks containing toxic methyl isocyanate. Keswani recently assisted reporters from the New York Times in December and January investigating the causes and locating documents and officials relating to the Bhopal disaster. V. There were reports of a leak of Chlorine gas from the Bhopal Union Carbide plant in the last week of March. At least 3 people were reportedly hospitalized as a result of the leak. Now to other news: VI. Janata party has demanded the immediate appointment of an inquiry commission into the Delhi riots against the Sikhs following Mrs. Gandhi's assasination, the expedition of release of all political detained people in Punjab and resumption of a dialogue with the leaders of the Akali Party with preconditions, and the immediate dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. This was stated in a political resolution adopted by its national executive on March 30. In regards to Jammu and Kashmir, the resolution said that the dissolution of the assembly and holding fresh elections would provide the first test of the Congress's sincerity in passing the anti-defection law and Rajiv Gandhi's pronouncements for providing a clean administration. The democratically elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference party was dismissed by Governor Jag Mohan following defections from the National Conference. G.M. Shah, Abdullah's brother-in-law, who led the defectors formed government there with the support of Congress. Rajiv Gandhi however ruled out the possibility of holding early elections in Jammu and Kashmir. VII. Over 130 people were killed in violence in the recent Lok Sabha and assembly elections. This was reported by Union Home Minister SB Chavan. 83 people reportedly were killed during the assembly elections and 48 were killed in the Lok Sabha elections. Bihar saw the maximum violence; security forces seized 281 firearms and 174 bombs. VIII. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said on March 21 that the government was aware of organizations set up by certain sections of people of Indian origin living mostly in North America and Western Europe and indulging in extremist and secessionist activities. He listed 27 such groups which include groups advocating Khalistan, as well as the North America Akali Dal, the Federation of Sikh Societies, the Sikh Council of North America, the International Akali Dal, the Sikh Cultural Center. In an apparent reference to Sikhs and others of Indian origin who have become citizens of US, Canada, and Britain, Gandhi added that a visa system has been introduced for foreigners who were hitherto exempt from this requirement and Indian missions have been asked to scrutinize visa applications with greater strictness. IX. According to several senior ministers in the Sri Lanka government, the United States, Britain and other western countries have been trying to persuade to mend its fences with the Indian government and evolve a political settlement to solve the Tamil problem. These suggestions are reportedly constantly voiced in direct appeals when representatives of Sri Lankan government visit western countries. X. Karnataka Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde has urged Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to convene a meeting of the Chief Ministers of southern states to discuss the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. Hegde added that the problems of the refugees was serious and every state had to help in their rehabilitation. There are reported to be at least 50,000 Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu. XI. Protests by students against the reservation policy for scheduled castes and tribes have continued in Gujarat. At least 13 people have reported to be killed in the month-long rioting in which many buses were burnt and property looted and damaged. Lawyers boycotted courts and doctors boycotted hospitals in support of the protest. Over 10 students were arrested in connection with setting fire to a high school building. Sources: India Now, India Abroad, the New York Times, and the Albany Times-Union.