25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY - PRAMOD PRADHAN

25TH ANNIVERSARY OF BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY - PRAMOD PRADHAN

On the 25th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy – the worst Industrial Disaster in the world, three organisations i.e., Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU), All India Peoples Science Network and Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti jointly conducted one month long campaign which concluded in a massive public meeting in front of the Union Carbide Factory in Bhopal on 3-12-2009.

Addressing the public Meeting on 3rd December, 2009, Com. M.K.Pandhe, President of CITU said that even after 25 years of the worst ever industrial tragedy, people are continuing to die due to the poisonous gas effect but neither proper treatment is being given nor is there any planning for rehabilitation for the affected. Condemning the abject surrender of the Central and State Governments before M/s Union Carbide, the American Multinational, he said it is evident that the imperialism is indulging in inhuman exploitation and brutality and it is the main source of injustice towards the people of third world countries. Expressing solidarity with the struggle of the gas affected Com. Pandhe declared that CITU will continue this struggle with its full strength. He said that in the proposed Civil Nuclear Liability Bill the Government has given complete freedom to the American MNCs to cause much bigger disaster than Bhopal Tragedy in the country. Therefore, without fighting against the policies of the Central Government and its pro-US attitude, our goal of “No to another Bhopal” will not be possible.

Com. Badal Saroj, Vice President MP State CITU, Pramod Pradhan, General Secretary, MP State CITU, Sadhna Karnik, Convenor, Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Committee and Asha Mishra, General Secretary, BGVS also spoke on the occasion.

After the meeting, thousands of gas affected tried to enter the carbide factory in the form of a Rally through the gate. When the agitators tried to enter the factory they were forcefully stopped by the police forces. The agitators then staged a Dharna in front of gate.

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Earlier a two day National Seminar was organised jointly by CITU and the other two organisations at the TTTI Auditorium , Bhopal on 01st and 02nd December, 09.

Dr S.P. Shukla, former Finance Secretary, Govt. of India and member Planning Commission inaugurated the seminar.

Addressing the seminar main speaker Com. Dipankar Mukherjee, National secretary of CITU dwelt on the state of anarchy prevailing in safety & health of workers in industries in the country. Because of contractorisation of labour and planned de-trade unionisation on the shop floor, backed by the Government policy, Bhopal Gas Accident is being reenacted today across the country CITU will continue its struggle to ensure that there is “no more Bhopal” in future.

Second session of the Seminar was presided over by the popular poet and Sahitya Academy award winner Rajesh Joshi. Addressing the session, eminent Scientist Prabir Purkayastha said that imperialist countries like USA consider the people of India as a laboratory to test their experiments. Third session concentrated on the issue of legal battle of the victims and medical treatment and rehabilitation. Dr.P.R.Dev, Dr.Ajay Khare, Dr. N.Gaensh, Vinod Raina and N.D.Jayaprakash addressed the session. Last, session of the day centered on the after effects of globalisation, Multinational companies and technology on contemporary India. Com. Suneet Chopra, National secretary of All India Agricultural Workers Union addressing the session explained the role played by multinational companies in India in the globalisation period. Dr.Venugopal Rao, AGJVV, Prof.Vikas Rawal of JNU spoke about the effects and challenges of chemicalisation of agriculture in India. Gopal Krishna, Convenor of National Campaign against dangerous industries spoke on the subject “India – Garbage house of Western dangerous industry”. All the speakers were of the opinion that neo-colonial economic policies are intended to exploit the third world countries.

Participating in the seminar as a special guest, eminent American Scientist and chemical engineer Barry Castleman spoke on the subject “Double standard of multinational companies”. He said that the multinational companies adopt a totally opposite set of international norms in industrial safety in poor countries.

The Second day of the Seminar on 02.12.2009, focused on the subject “Industrial Safety – Question of health and Pollution and the legal framework” in the first session.

Inaugurating the session Com. Ardhendhu Dakshi, National Secretary of CITU and President of Steel Workers Federation of India said that even after the grave Bhopal Tragedy both the Central and State Governments have not learnt any lessons in regard to industrial safety and health of the workers. He further said that the criminal negligence is being shown by the enforcement machinery and legal institutions towards the ever increasing industrial accidents.

D.Raghunandan of Delhi Science Forum, presented factual details in regard to the problems of industrial safety and scope for improvement. T. Jayaraman of TISS spoke on the Indo-American nuclear deal and said that by introducing the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill, central government has shown its utter irresponsibility towards the people of the country and the government’s surrender to the American companies. Pointing out the various provisions of industrial safety rules, Devanjan Chakraborty, General Secretary of Construction Workers Federation of India said that not a single rule and safety provisions is being followed by the industries. In construction industry maximum accidents are happening but they are not getting any compensation. Sourabh Dutta of Steel Workers Federation explained in detail the safety measures in steel industry. Com.Ram Asre Yadav, of Transport Workers Federation of India also spoke. The conclusion was that stronger the unions greater the industrial safety.

A major part of the Second day discussion was centered around the industrial safety and health scenario in Madhya Pradesh. MP State Committee of CITU had prepared a case study in regard to the explosive factories in Singrauli and the Jayant Project of National Coal Limited at Singrouli and conducted survey in 30 different factories. Reports were also prepared for industrial safety and health measure in SECIL, NCL, WCL, BHEL, NFL, NTPC, Defence Industries, Raymonds factories and Synthetic Fibre Plant at Nagda. These reports were presented.

Com. Badal Saroj presented the main report, citing facts anf figures showing the deplorable condition of safety and health in both organized and unorganized sector in Madhya Pradesh. Com. Jitendra Sodhi from SECL, Com. Tazumudding from WCL and Com. Eshwarlal from NCL, Com. Vijon Guha Thakurta from Defence Industry Organisation gave details of the safety hazards faced by the workers in their industries.

The two day National Seminar concluded on 2nd December, 09 with a joint convention. The convention was presided by a presidium consisting of Com.A.T.Padmanabhan of CITU, Com.Amit Sen Gupta of AIPSN and Com.Sadhna Karnik Pradhan of Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti.

The Convention was addressed by Com. Dipankar Mukherjee, National Secretary of CITU, Roop Singh Chouhan General Secretary, AITUC, Madhya Pradesh D.Raghunandan of AIPSN and Com. Pramod Pradhan, General Secretary, MP State CITU.

Source: www.citucentre.org