Life is too cheap in India – Bhopal gas tragedy proves it!

I was in my final year of studies for CA when the Bhopal gas tragedy occurred in December 1984. I distinctly remember articles warning of an impending tragedy as the company cocked an arrogant snoot at the Government and its officials. If you recollect in those days the Indian economy was not doing too well and we depended a lot on the benevolence of the US. We as a political class have always been used to doing “haanji” to our rulers – earlier the British as colonialists and subsequently to all the economic power houses who have wanted to milk India dry.

We, unfortunately have always had extremely callous Governments which approach the people only during elections. With a teeming population with very little health care for the masses, a tragedy like Bhopal in any other country would have had the Government come down like a ton of bricks on the management of the entity, but our country behaved as gracious hosts and escorted the culprits out of the country. Just look at what Mr. Obama has done to BP – made them shell out US$ 2 billion for polluting the environment off the US coast!

In India it is only people who were affected – just over half a million, poor people whose voice no one wants to hear – the Government of the day negotiated a settlement of Rs. 713 crores in 1989 which meant that on an average each victim received Rs. 12410 only! Did I not mention life in India was CHEAP!! More than 20000 dead, 573000 affected people, offspring of those affected being born with permanent disability. Whose fault? Who pays? Its easier to get a huge corporation to pay for affecting the environment, as flora and fauna have more monetary value than poor old Indians you see! This is what this circus which has been happening since the court verdict has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt!

A court which took twenty five years to arrive at a judicial verdict, which itself speaks volumes for the latent interest shown by various Governments to this burning issue! People in the opposition are now crying foul! What did they do when they were in power? Why is it always the people who suffer? Those in Government line their pockets during their years in power so that they go to the next elections with begging bowls in hand!

How many people have actually received compensation? The figures tell a sorry tale of corruption and money disappearing down bureaucratic and political black holes! Sad that we cannot respect our own fellow human beings! Sadder still that we end up appearing as buffoons to the rest of the world as the end game, in what is the world’s worst gas tragedy is played out!

God bless the victims and hope sanity prevails and justice is done and seen to be done – at least as far as compensation is delivered fairly and equitably to those affected by the tragedy. There is no point in going after a witch hunt – it would be better to apply a soothing balm to those affected so that feelings of revenge and remorse are removed.