Neend Udao Protest: SEND A FAX TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BABULAL GAUR |
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On the morning of May 17, 2005 300 Bhopali women, men and children visited the offices of Director, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief & Rehabilitation (Manish Rashtogi) demanding implementation of the May 7, 2004 order of the Supreme Court of India with regard to supply of clean water by the state government to the communities that have their ground water contaminated by Union Carbide's chemical wastes.
None of the officials including Mr. Rashtogi have followed through with the Supreme Court order to deliver the mandated amount of drinking water to Bhopal residents affected by Union Carbide chemical wastes.
In the month of April 2005, the residents of these 14 communities have received less than 14 percent of the required amount of water, and residents of 5 communities do not have access to potable water and are forced to drink contaminated water from nearby wells. The leaders of the organizations presented a copy of a letter from the Chairman of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes that exhorts the Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh to ensure the increase the supply of water to 4,00,000 liters per day and to ensure that no communities go without water supply. The Chief Secretary has also been asked to present an affidavit on time bound arrangement of supply of water through pipe lines to the affected areas.
In response, on May 17, 2005 Bhopal survivor groups largely led by women raised their concerns and the failures of the Madhya Pradesh (MP) Government to comply with the 2004 Supreme Court ruling. The police reacted immediately by severely beating and dragging Bhopal survivors out of the building. Women, men, and children were kicked and hit with dandas (thick wooden sticks carried by police). As a result five people had to be taken to hospital for their injuries and 7 were arrested including Goldman Prize recipient Rashida Bee.
The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal is calling on supporters to send the following text by fax to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Mr. Babulal Gaur
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Government of Madhya Pradesh,
Shymla Hills, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Fax numbers: +91 755 2540501, 2441781
Phone numbers: +91 755 2442241, 2442255, 2540500, 2442288
Dear Sir,
We are writing to you in regard of brutal violence unleashed on 300 Bhopalis by the police force, who went to meet with Director, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation (Manish Rashtogi) on May 17, 2005 to raise the issue supply of safe drinking water to the residents of communities affected by ground water contamination caused due to Union Carbide's reckless dumping of toxic wastes in and around its premises. The women were kicked in their chest and stomach and were pushed down the stairs with their children when their only fault had been to ask for clean water.
As you are well aware on 7-May-2004, Supreme Court of India directed the State Government to provide clean water to all communities affected by Union Carbide's ground water contamination. Despite several assurances, your government has failed to provide clean water in all 14 communities. In the month of April 2005 residents of these 14 communities have received less than 14 percent of the required amount of water and there are at least 5 communities who have no access to potable and have no choice to ingest contaminated water on daily basis. This not only is a violation of the order passed by Supreme Court but it is an inherent violation of people’s basic human right to have access to clean water.
We condemn the police brutality unleashed by your government and we urge you to implement the following points to ensure clean water in all communities affected by Union Carbide's ground water contamination.
1 Implement the May 7, 2004 decision of the Supreme Court of India regarding supply of clean water to the communities that have their ground water contaminated by Union Carbide's chemical wastes.
2 Ensure supply of 400, 000 liters per day of clean water daily to all 14 communities.
3 Submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court of India regarding permanent arrangement for supply of water to the affected communities as directed by the chairman of the Supreme Court committee.
4 Withdraw false charges that have been leveled against the 7 concerned Bhopal residents and ensure impartial inquiry in to the incident as these concerned citizens were non-violently expressing their right to have access to clean water.
Sincerely,
(add your name)
