Bhopal Gas Tragedy Victims’ Injuries Misclassified, Says Organisations

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The four organisations working for gas victims are hopeful that survivors whose injuries were misclassified earlier would get compensation.

A public interest litigation has been filed in High Court in this regard. The next hearing is on September 22. The petition highlights that 90% of survivors who were paid ex gratia for cancer were classified as having suffered only minor or temporary injury due to the disaster.

The same has been done regarding injuries of 95% of those who were paid ex gratia for chronic kidney diseases.

“We are requesting court to direct union government to consider injuries of such survivors as permanent and award them Rs 5 lakh as compensation” said Nasreen Khan, member of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha.

Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karamchari Sangh, stated, “Union Carbide’s own internal documents clearly acknowledge that exposure to methyl isocyanate can lead to permanent and life-altering injuries. Despite this, an astonishing 95% of the survivors have been officially classified as having only temporary injuries, completely overlooking the long-term impact on their health and lives.”