While the demand for justice, i.e. stricter punishment for those who were directly responsible for ignoring the issue of safe industrial practices in case of the UCIL chemical plant in Bhopal handling hugely hazardous stuff and also those who are complicit in getting them off the hook, is profoundly justified; it is time to focus our attention on the larger issue of industrial safety, particularly as regards the hazardous industries.
It is only in the fitness of things that Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 is attracting large public attention, given the fact that nuclear industry is just not only highly hazardous from uranium mining to power plant - without any safe method for disposal of nuclear wastes, it is also potentially catastrophic as chillingly demonstrated by the Chernobyl accident on April 26 1986. Laws providing ground rules for adequate compensations etc. and provisions for stricter punishments are, however, far less than enough even if direly needed. Safety norms for industries must be updated as per international best practices and credible and efficient monitoring mechanisms must be put in place. Effective public participation in decision making and monitoring has got to play a large role. There is an abiding need to turn our gaze to these aspects going beyond the strict limits of immediate concerns. Sukla On 14 June 2010 21:45, venukm <[email protected]> wrote: > This trajectory of 26 years- long litigation was not anything but > anticipated. 'Nationalist' leaders of all hues were playing dramas, > while they conspired all along to protect the interests of the > corporate giant and to cheat just not the affected people but the > entire country. > Let us ask for example, which party will sincerely make such a demand > to the SC to reopen the 1996 decision diluting the criminal charges > including charges of culpable homicide? > Why did the entire political class keep silent since the days of the > 'historic' judgement that virtually compromised the Bhopal Industrial > (Genocide) Crime, despite the fact that there has been enough voices > of concern from the citizens' groups demanding justice for the > affected people? > > On Jun 14, 5:32 pm, Sukla Sen <[email protected]> wrote: > > I/II. > > From: Gopal Krishna <[email protected]> > > Date: 14 June 2010 16:20 > > > > [Attachment(s) <#129366eb23017344_1293623ed6b14c6f_TopText> from Gopal > > Krishna included below] > > > > *Press Note* > > > > * Bhopal**’s Industrial Catastrophe Caused Due to Emergency * > > > > * No Inquiry on US Corporation’s Research and Development (R&D) Centre so > > far * > > > > *New Delhi**-The affidavit from Central Bureau of Investigation’s most > > recent affidavit in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bhopal* > provides > > information that implies that had Emergency been not imposed Bhopal’s > > catastrophe caused by the US Corporation’s acts of omission and > commission > > would not have happened. (Relevant pages of the affidavit attached). > There > > is a compelling logic for an independent probe in the entire issue > ranging > > from granting of industrial license, escape of Warren Anderson, role of > > Indo-US CEO Forum to lobbying by industrialists and ministers to absolve > Dow > > Chemicals of liability. > > > > It emerges that industrial license to US Corporation’s chemicals plant > was > > granted during the period when Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister had > invoked > > Article 352 to declare Emergency in the country from 25th June 1975 to > > 21stMarch 1977 during 21-month > > regime. The 7th June, 2010 verdict of the Bhopal court (attached) states > > that Union Carbide Corporation too refers to the application for > industrial > > license on page no.4. According to the CBI’s recent affidavit, on > > 1stJanuary 1970, Union Carbide Company had “applied for industrial > > license for > > manufacture of 5000 tones MIC- based pesticides” required under The > > Registration and Licensing of Industrial Undertakings Rules, 1952. An > > application for the registration of an existing industrial undertaking is > > made to the Ministry of Industry (formerly to Ministry of Industrial > > Development), Government of India. > > > > The application was signed by E. A. Munoz, a General Manager in the > > company. The company did not get industrial license for more than 5 > years. > > There must have been sufficient reason to withhold permission for > industrial > > license. After the imposition of Emergency, the company was granted the > > license on till 31st October, 1975 exactly nine years prior to her > > assassination in 1984. The verdict notes that the issuance of industrial > > license to Union Carbide Company for manufacture of MIC- based pesticides > on > > 31st October, 1984. > > > > R K Sahi, the then Deputy Director in the Ministry of Industrial > Development > > (former Deputy Advisor, Planning Commission) has informed that the entire > > department was against grating of the industrial license. The officials > in > > the Ministry knew that obsolete and discarded technology and machinery > was > > being transferred to India for which the license was granted by bypassing > > the due process. There was political interference in the granting of the > > industrial license. > > > > The manufacture of Methy Isocynate (MIC) commenced with effect from > > 5thFebruary, 1980, information regarding which was sent to the > > Department of > > Chemicals and Fertilizers vide letter dated 19th February, 1980. The > company > > informed the Ministry of Industrial Development on 12th November, 1982 > about > > the commencement of production in 1980, while requesting for renewal of > > agreement that was to terminate in 1982. > > > > The verdict by Mohan P Tiwari, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bhopal, Madhya > > Pradesh notes “Union Carbide Corporation , 39,Old Ridgebury Road Danbury > > Connecticut ,USA 06817” and Union Carbide Corporation, (Eastern) Inc. > 16th > > Floor New World Office Building (East Wing) 24, Sabury Tsimsa Tsu Kowloon > > Hongkong, as absconders. On page 25 of the verdict, it states, “(z) It is > > worthwhile to mention here that the Government of India and the Team of > > Scientists admittedly was never permitted to visit the Plant at Verginia, > > USA. No brochure, or any other documentary evidence demonstrating the > > similarity between the two plants at Verginia and Bhopal has been > produced > > before the court by the defence.” > > > > On page 95 of the verdict, it is stated, “Mr. Warren Anderson, UCC USA > and > > UCC Kowlnn Hongkong are still absconding and therefore, every part of > this > > case (Criminal File) is kept intact alognwith the exhibited and > unexhibited > > documents and the property related to this case, in safe custody, till > their > > appearance.” In the verdict, it is stated that “Dr. S. Varadarajan PW57, > was > > the Head of the team of experts who visited the Plant Site very next day > of > > the incident. He is an expert having excellent qualification. M.Sc. PhD. > > From Delhi & Cambridge several Honorary D.Scs also former President all > > three major Indian Academy of Science Bangalore, Indian National Academy > > Delhi started by Shri M.N. Shah and Indian National Academy of > Engineering > > and a number of other Societies. (q)Dr. S. Vardharajan PW57, in para 2 > of > > his statement states that there were several defects, such as MIC is a > > liquid but it evaporates with air and is highly toxic on inhilation as it > is > > made of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide converted into Phosegen, is > > required to be utilized immediately and not to be stored. Storage of MIC > > should have been highly limited only to meet the requirements for > conversion > > into Sevin as little as possible. (r) In Para 5 he further says that the > > design required inhibitor to prevent voluntary polymerization of MIC. > > Polymerization produces very high temperature and that accelerates > > polymerization in an explosive manner. There are design defects, such as > use > > of Carbon, Steel and other material and pipes and other materials. These > are > > leading to corrosion in the presence of even quantities of Hydrogen > > Chloride, Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) arising from Phosegen, Chloroform and > > other Chloride materials.” Although the design fault by the US > corporation > > is established, the criminal liability of the Union Carbide’s case is yet > to > > be settled. > > > > It is noteworthy that Justice S Muralidhar, Delhi High Court in his > seminal > > paper titled “Unsettling Truths, Untold Tales: The Bhopal Gas Disaster > > Victim’s ‘Twenty Years’ of Courtroom Struggles for Justice” concluded > that > > the cases concerning Bhopal gas disaster should not conclude till justice > > has been done to every victim. Each strand of litigation is pending at > > various stages and the questions that have arisen remain unsatisfactorily > > answered.” He had aptly underlined in May 2004, “The extent of > concealment > > and subterfuge practised by UCC and UCIL in screening away from scrutiny > the > > extent of risk to which the MIC plant at Bhopal was subjecting the local > > population. The enormous lies of the UCC and UCIL now stand exposed. It > is > > indeed disturbing that despite the Union of India and the State of Madhya > > Pradesh knowing fully well the extent of contamination of the plant site, > > neither of those entities did anything at all to enforce the liabilities > of > > the UCC and UCIL and claim damages under this head. The settlement which > the > > Supreme Court approved on February 14/ 15, 1989 stands severely flawed > with > > every passing day. There now appears no possible justification for the > order > > made on those two fateful dates. Every assumption on which the orders > were > > based was wrong both on facts and on law. Notwithstanding the defiant > > posture of the Supreme Court in its review petition that its powers under > > Article 142 justified its approval of the settlement, which foreclosed > all > > present and future civil and criminal claims, the court itself has had to > > reject the judgment in the review proceedings as an applicable precedent > for > > future cases. The wrong remains an irremediable wrong. It bears > repetition > > that the assumptions on which the settlement is approved was that the > number > > of deaths was 3,000 and the number injured in the range of 1,00,000. In > > March 2003, the official figures of the awarded death claims stood at > 15,180 > > and awarded injury claims at 5,53,015. The underestimation was slightly > > above 5 times. The range of compensation which was assumed in the > settlement > > order would be payable was Rs.1 to 3 lakhs for a death claim, Rs.25,000/- > to > > Rs.1 lakh for temporary disablement and Rs.50,000/- to Rs.2 lakhs for > > permanent disablement. Each death claim has been awarded not more than > Rs.1 > > lakh and on an average an injury claim has been settled for as little as > > Rs.25,000/-. The failure of the judiciary to account for the views of the > > Bhopal Gas victim has been pervasive.” > > > > While the fact of Supreme Court itself being on trial following such a > > litigation disaster is established, what is yet to be established is > > legislative competence to ensure universal jurisprudence for > corporations. > > If Dow Chemicals escapes liability, if Anderson remains an absconder and > > goes unpunished, it sets a dangerous precedent for democracies all over > the > > world. > > > > In Volume 5, Hazard Assessment of Chemicals, published by Hemisphere > > Publishing Corporation, Washington, page no. 236, it refers to suspicion > > that in addition to the chemical pesticide plant, the Research and > > Development (R&D) Centre that Union Carbide which operated in Bhopal > since > > 1976 was experimenting with wartime use of chemicals. It remains shrouded > in > > mystery although it was reputed to be among the best in the world with > the > > R&D Centre having 3 green houses, 5 insect rearing laboratories and an > > experimental farm of 2 hectares. The processing of new chemicals at the > R&D > > Centre had increased from 50 in 1980 to 500 in 1982 and the Centre was > > projected to test 5000 chemicals in 1985 because many chemicals could not > be > > tested in USA because of stricter environmental regulations. This R&D > centre > > too came up during Emergency. This i*ndustrial disaster has aptly been > > called the Nagasaki and Hiroshima of peace time but the suspicion > regarding > > it being a consequence of experimenting with time chemicals is yet to be > > probed. > > * > > > > By the end of First World War, Union Carbide Corporation (which has > merged > > with Dow Chemicals in 2001) had moved from metal and carbon to gases and > > chemicals and expanded to atomic energy production during Second World > War. > > Its operations in India began in 1905 in Calcutta. It had dry cell > > manufacturing plant in Chennai in 1942 and in Hyderabad in 1967. In 1968, > > the agricultural office of the company had moved from Mumbai to Bhopal. > At > > the time of Bhopal disaster it was the 7th largest company in the world > > headquartered at Danbury, Connecticut, USA with 700 operations in 38 > > countries. > > > > For Details: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance, Mb: 9818089660, > > > > E-mail: [email protected], Blog: toxicsatch.blogspot.com, Web: > www.toxicswatch.com > > > > __._,_.___ > > > > Attachment(s) from Gopal Krishna > > > > 1 of 1 File(s) > > UCIL.pdf < > http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/8951350/625681332/name/UCIL%2Epdf> > > > > II. > http://www.deccanherald.com/content/75035/conspiracy-politics-betraya... > > > > <http://www.deccanherald.com/content/75035/conspiracy-politics-betraya.. > .> > > Conspiracy, > > politics and betrayalColin Gonsalves > > *“The victims should approach the Supreme Court directly for review of > the > > 1996 order.”* > > > > The paltry payments made to the victims, the escape of Anderson on a > > government plane, the neglect of the babies born subsequently with > terrible > > deformities and ailments, the inability of the state to clean the > > contaminated soil, the petty sentences rendered and the 26 long years in > the > > trial court, all seems separate instances which though regrettable are > > treated as issues of governance and not one of politics, conspiracy and > > betrayal. Let’s not look at the past, we are advised, let’s look to the > > future to ensure that such an incident does not take place again. But > unless > > we understand the treachery of the past it is impossible to change things > > for the future. > > > > *Rajiv’s American connect * > > Indira Gandhi's death and the appointment of Rajiv Gandhi as Prime > Minister > > of India marked the end of the era of the Indian version of social > democracy > > started by Jawahar Lal Nehru and the beginning of American style > > globalisation. Rajiv Gandhi started off well with Ronald Reagan, the then > > President of United States. It is said that the understanding between > these > > two leaders ultimately led to the pitiable settlement being agreed to by > > India, the quashing of all criminal liability and the removal of Anderson > > from Indian soil. Arjun Singh, naturally, will be made the scapegoat as > if > > decisions of this magnitude could be taken without the Prime Minister's > > approval. > > > > In the power play of globalised politics, all this is understandable > though > > it may make us angry. But the inability of the Supreme Court of India to > > stand firm and side with the people of India against UCC and the > government > > of the United States of America left many Indians confused and > frustrated. > > The long line of decisions starting from 1989 ultimately left them > bitter. > > > > *American system better* > > It was in the interests of the victims to have the cases tried in America > > where substantial damage would have been awarded. In the Exxon Valdez oil > > spill case where no one died, $507 million was awarded. In the Vioxx drug > > case where 47,000 consumers suffered heart attacks, strokes or death, $ > 4.85 > > billion was paid on an average of $103,000 per plaintiff. In asbestos > > litigation, jury verdicts range anywhere from $ one million to $20 > million > > in compensation per person. In the Lockerbie bombing case Libya paid $ > 2.7 > > billion or $ 10 million per family. > > > > Legal luminaries flocking to represent Dow Chemicals was understandable. > > Nani Palkhiwala made a strenuous attempt by filing affidavits in the > > American courts to have the litigation brought to India. The then > Attorney > > General, Soli Sorabjee, argued against giving the victims a hearing and > > justified the quashing of criminal proceedings. What was inexplicable was > > the attitude of the judiciary. > > > > In February 1989, in a cryptic three-page order containing no reasons, > the > > Supreme Court accepted the settlement of $ 470 million as "just, > equitable > > and reasonable" and quashed all criminal proceedings. In May, reasons > were > > given after an afterthought. Chief Justice R S Pathak then resigned on > being > > nominated by India to the World Court at The Hague. > > > > After indignant protests in the country, in 1991, the Supreme Court > > reinstated the criminal proceedings. In 1996, the Supreme Court quashed > the > > charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily > causing > > grievous hurt and introduced the death due to criminal negligence charge > > carrying a maximum sentence of two years. The hands of the trial court > were > > tied. It is now up to the Chief Justice of India to right this historic > > wrong. > > * > > SC must reopen* > > The Supreme Court must reopen the 1996 decision diluting the criminal > > charges and reinstate the culpable homicide charge and the charge of > > voluntarily causing grievous hurt. If this is done the accused can be > > sentenced up to 10 years in prison. > > (The writer is a senior advocate of > > the Supreme Court.) > > > > -- > > Peace Is Doable > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. > > -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
