Bhopal: A Continuing Tragedy >> Live Accounts

Live Accounts

We would like to share some interviews that we took with the people in Bhopal. Some of the people are survivors of the gas leak, such as Leela Bai and Hajra Bee. We thought to convey the ongoing struggle in their lives by asking them to share their stories. However, we also interviewed some people from the Sambhavna Trust Clinic. Even though they weren't there during the tragedy, these people spend their time trying to help others in Bhopal, and help run a clinic that offers free help to the survivors.

Villagers

Q: What is the worst part of being a "survivor"?

A: I have become very useless. I have to take expensive medicine every day, only now, it is not so expensive because of the Trust Clinic that Satinath Sarangi started. I have also become very weak, so work is hard. However, even though it was only a little, we got some compensation for the tragedy: 25,000 rupees (about 550 US dollars).

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about how if affected you?

A: Breathlessness, and my father-in-law had to leave his work. He lost most of his sight. My mother-in-law can't work either. She's constantly sick. My son has diabetes, and my daughter has thyroid. My husband lost the ability to do hard labor. In the night, my arms hurt, and I get sick quite often. When my son goes to school, he gets made fun of by all the people who aren't as affected by the tragedy. He is very short, about 1.2 meters (about 4 feet in US measurement) and he is eighteen years old. He would love to learn, but he really doesn't like to go to school and face the people. Luckily, my daughter is married now, so I am very thankful for that. So, really, this has really affected my whole family.

Clinic Managers

Q: Why do you love your job so much?

A: I enjoy the work that I do, and I do because I feel that it is a step towards saving this planet from self-destruction.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the most important thing that you are working on?

A: In 2007, Bhopal survivors and supporters will launch will launch an indefinite hunger strike for clean water, economic and social rehabilitation, proper medical care for those affected by ground water contamination caused by the tragedy and for the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors.

Q: Can you tell us about something you’re going to work on in the future?

A: Studying more environmental friendly generation projects and research on children who are drinking contaminated water and prevalence of cancer . Also I hope to start community clinics where community members will run it themselves.

"The truth isn’t always beautiful, but the hunger for it is."

-Nadine Gordimer