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The biggest failure, according to medical experts, is that the line of treatment given to patients exposed to MIC has remained essentially unchanged since the morning of the disaster, when nothing was known about the poisonous gas.
“Two generations of victims exposed to MIC have been indiscriminately prescribed antibiotics, steroids and psychotropic drugs to ‘manage’ their ailments instead of finding a cure. No focused research has been conducted in developing an antidote to cyanide poisoning,” said Dr DK Satpathy, who retired as director of Medicolegal Institute, Government of MP, this September. “If a patient has headache, she will be given Saridon, the same for breathlessness and all other symptoms caused by MIC.”
Following the disaster, ICMR temporarily set up the Bhopal Gas Disaster Research Centre under Gandhi Medical College to monitor the health effects of MIC exposure. The Centre stopped monitoring mortalities in 1992. In 1994, the Centre was shut down, without publishing the findings of the studies conducted between 1984-94. No research has been conducted since.
“All medical data has indicated serious genetic mutation but no autopsy studies have been conducted. No government body can explain why the prevalence of cancer among female victims is three time the national average. No one can conclusively say what are the outcomes of MIC exposure,” said Dr Alok Banerjee, director, Centre for Rehabilitation Studies.
Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), now Dow Chemicals, is yet to reveal the composition of MIC; it calls it a ‘trade secret’. After initially recommending sodium thiosulphate as a detoxifying agent, Union Carbide’s Dr Bipin Awasia said he had been ‘mistaken’ in 1984.
“Sodium thiosulphate was an effective treatment but it was given only to 500 odd patients. Carbide officials were worried about legal repercussion as the success of the treatment would prove that the gases had broken the blood-lung barrier and increase the compensation amount,” says Dr Satpathy.
The research proposals from ICMR — focusing on genetic disorders, low birth weight, congenital malformations, growth/developmental disorders and biological markers of MIC exposure — came after directives from the Central government.
“This could have been an opportunity to develop an antidote to cyanide poisoning but not enough research has been conducted. We cannot force researchers to take up subjects against their interest. Genetic abnormalities cannot be ruled out but we do not have a study that clearly establishes the extent of genetic mutation. More requires to be done in the field of medical data to understand cyanide poisoning better,” said Dr V M Katoch, Director General, ICMR.
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Almost all the middlemen and the corrupt politicians got their share of the settlement..The victims are dead and the injured will be suffering for a long time.Clean up? The NGOs did their best to help the victims.The politicians have no shame whatsoever and they are pretty well set for themseleves as well as their families.Keep blaming the Americans.That is the normal hatred attitude..
It isd a tragedy caused by human beings but how does NGO or anyone else get their nose into it. As already mentioned India herself is liable for illegal occupation of area around the complex. It is all over India and it is for VOTES only. Instead of facing the fact that our workers are uneducated and careless and not trained we put all the blame on Union Carbide which is US owned and ever since we came under the influence of KGB who aran the nation and misinformation about West , We are willing to blame our woes on USA. Time to grow up and be a nation and not some banana republic and face the truth. This accident was caused by an untrained and gruntled worker and not by MNCD Union carbide. as for justice in India there is no such things. Commissions are formed,learn t from our Masters, to investigate and it takes years. Look around ans show us any report came out within a year.Look at Delhi killing of Sikh in 1984. It is India and as they say CHALTA HAI BHAI
Warren was let off and flew from India in a private Jet We did not notify interpol/ USA for his arrest Cheap indian life and Sold out politicians Wish we can start a blog to get Warren arrested and punished
We are still debating the disaster in Bhopal.Question to all including the politicians? who is in charge? estimated 20,000 killed 100,000 disabled.Union carbide setup in 1969 - Ownership - 50.9% UC and 49.1% India.Settlement agreed and received $470.00 million.Did any of this money given to the victims? In 1998 factory was handed over to India.Did the government do anything for the last 25 years to clean up the toxic chemicals contaminating the water resources?The Indian government accepted settlement of 470 million out of court which absolved UC of any more liability and in 1999 the plant was purchased by India..Corruption..mismanagement..A flawed bureaucratic system with no sympathy for the dead victims or the relatives.NGOs helped the victims within their limited resources.That is what they are.Still people are made to believe that UC(Dow Chemicals,USA)is to e blamed..They left things to indian Govt.in 98 - 11 years back..Let us pray for the victims and their families.PEACE.
It will also be too early for all these dumb and deaf politicians, who always knows that how to earn but does not know that how to spend on our citizen. This shows that we should improve our education from school, which will create indian citizen with full of petriot feelings for our contry and for our contry men. So we can improve the next generation future with it.
Harsh, NOTHING happens. Life, in India is cheap. 25 years is a loooooooooooooooooooong period to learn any lessons. Nothing has been learnt. Nothing will be learnt. I do not blame the authorities for this tragedy. Perhaps can blame the politicians who thrived on the vote bank. They are the real culprits. Today I do not shed a tear for those who illegally lived where they lived. But, I pray for their souls.
I am sure Prasad you must be a true couw pee drinker. If you cannot learn any lesson that means you have not worshiped enough animals or specifically the deeck worship, which your parents taught you since childhood. Well the fact is india needs to split its state into different countries which will anyways happen sooner than later, just see how may civil wars are going in india, we need to strategically balkanize india for its good so help me with it, for your information i care shit for pak or bangladesh as i am unfortunately myself an indian.
We have been standing by as it has not personally affected us but we need to stand up and support. Its a shame tragedy of this scale goes without support. We have no bones to comment on handling of Hurricane Kathrina that affected million in US but we don't even heed our ears to such a tragedy in India for so long.
India is a victim for allowing illegal hutments near an industry. India is a victim for allowing her politicians create and nurture vote banks. The "victims" who became victims by stayiing illegally near an industry shall say sorry to India. India shall say sorry to the other real victims.
One of the main problems in Bhopal is that too many NGO's have entered the fray and continue to receive big money from foreign donors and do nothing to deal with the real issues. Where is the call for studies into treating MIC after millions have been poured into the issue? There is a problem, and the problem is that non-Bhopalis, non-gas victims have come in and started dominating the issue. Get rid of them, and focus on the real issues
Dileep,you seem to be arrogant with no compassion.Have you ever made a contribution for a cuase thu an NGO or any other organisation?NGOs try to help the poor,less fortunate in the society.This is a world wide means of reducing the seriousness of a disaster like Bhopal.Be a little human..That is what Indian teachings/philosophyis all about..Corruption in India..Nothing get done. 25 years of Bhopal??
Dileep, Corruption is not confined to non-Bhopalis. There are many Bhopalis who are doctorates in corruption. If you cant beat them join them. No one is going to talk about Bhopal for next 5 years. I assure you.
If india cannot manage its people and state of affairs of its people, it should immediately split the states into independent countries, what is it the meaning of brain washing in the name of patriotism.
Raj, That is what India did. One country is now called Bangladesh and the other one Pakistan. You know well, that India is working on making more countries from its failed state - Pakistan!
BHOPAL WAS RULED BY THE CONGRESS GOVERNMENT HEADED BY THE GOOD FOR NOTHING CHURAT LOTTERY FAME ARJUN SINGH AND THE IRRIGATION MINISTER AT THAT TIME WAS DIG VIJAY SINGH BOTH OF THEM ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OFF BY THE HIGH COMMAND IT IS ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGEDY CARRY THE MEMOIRS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS THESE TWO LEADERS ARE DOING VERY FINE DIG VIJAY SINGH IN AN INTERVIEW LAST WEEK SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING ISSUED BY ANY ONE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE TRAGEDY HAPPENED BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPERS SIX MONTH BEFORE THAT THINGS ARE NOT WELL IN THE PLANT THIS MAN AS THE IRRIGATION MINISTER IGNORED IT HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED BUT HE IS LIVING A ROYAL LIFE THAT IS CONGRESS PARTY???
bhoopal was congress run state when the tragedy happened.It was corruption synonimus and to date the sufferers have not got compensation and money has been got from abroad and digested by Congress politicians.The main victims were Muslims.So much for the guardians of Secularism
Dear Indian, Research conducted in Pakistan on MIC conclusively proves that MIC affects only Muslims and their mental health. No wonder BJP engineered the leak under the guidance of Modi. Shame on them. Having said that, my heart goes out to the victims whatever may be their religion. Pray today for their souls.
It would be very unwise to get carried away by a Paki report.No one has ever mentioned BJP hands in Bhopal tragedy not even Congress.This is the first one we are hearing from you,a Paki agent.My heart also goes for the victims,but what have the victims received during the so called secular regime?
It is a tragedy in itself that people did not get compensation for the last 25 years though the Union Carbide had paid agreed settlement amount to Government. The biggest tragedy is that those who were slightly affected, or some bureaucrats and politicians who were not affected at all, got the compensation decades ago. Rahul Gandhi sees specific poor and commonmen, but does not see people awaiting justice for more than 25 years in Bhopal and victims of massacre of sikhs all over India. Poor and middle class people in India will eat high Growth of GDP instead of Pulses/Rice/Sugar or Vegetables which are beyond their reach.
We have to punish the civil authorities who do not have taken timely action to avoid gathering of civil population close to potentially hazardous industry or any other industrial area. It is high time that there should be clear-cut demarcation in civil and industrial area to avoid such accidents in future.
The price for more than 20,000 lives in India is just $470 million. In 25 years, no-one has been successfully prosecuted, either for the original leak, or for the continuing alleged groundwater contamination (as usual). More unfortunately our present and past political leaders deny its present danger although BBC and other organizations found clear evidence of continuing ground water cotamination and health hazard even for next generation of the victims. That%u2019s how politicians, industrialists and businessman do their business and practically above the law.
Decades have passed by. As usual we Indians do what we know best. Talking to the wind.Forget Bhopal now as a ghost of the past.Consider Parliament, Consider 26/11. NOTHING has happened, nothing will. We light the candles, we maintain 2 mts. silent to show how civil we are. Too concerned that if we do not light candles what will the world say? While doing all this passive acts, we overlook what we really want or expect.Simple, as you sow so you reap. If your actions lead to reaping the wind, how could you reap golden harvest! God is kind; sow the right plants, HE will protect the plant and see it grows and gives you what you want. Let us not complecate simplicity. How many of us talk about the FREE judiciary....it is so free that it is irresponsible!!! How about talking FREEDOM in our Democracy...We are so free that we have no value for human lives. After independant have we really defined a good governance, have we defined terms like freedom's boundaries,secularism,voting rights for Indians everywhere,overseas included, how long a politician could remain in politics so that OLD ORDER CHANGETH YIELDING PLACE TO NEW....What is the need? When something goes wrong we shall find a symbol of hatred and beat it, and beat it and beat it and beat it..it wont die because it is inanimate