International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, Press Release 

For over three decades, several survivor led organisations have been fighting for justice and a life of dignity (proper health care, economic and social rehabilitation and safe living conditions). On the 35th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Disaster, the survivors have specific demands of the Governments of Indian and USA and Dow Chemical.

• Compensation: Union Carbide / Dow Chemical must pay a minimum of 8 thousand US dollars to each Bhopal survivor as additional compensation for personal injuries as claimed in the Supreme Court of India. The Indian government must make Union Carbide / Dow Chemical pay compensation for health and environmental damage caused by contamination of soil and groundwater.

• Criminal punishment: The US government must serve the summons from the Bhopal District Court upon Dow Chemical without delay. The Indian government must ensure that the criminal trial of accused Indian corporate executives is concluded within the next six months.

• Health care and research: The Indian government must ensure that standardised treatment protocols are developed for gas exposure related chronic diseases. The Indian government must establish a population based registry for all deaths, births and congenital malformations in the gas exposed families. The Indian government must ensure that NIREH (National Institute for Research on Environmental Health ) fulfil its commitment to the Bhopal survivors by generating scientific information on the long term health damage by the gas disaster and most effective means of ameliorating them. The Madhya Pradesh state government must ensure that free medical care is available to residents who drank contaminated groundwater for six months or more.

• Rehabilitation: The Indian and MP state governments must ensure that a monthly pension of Rs 3,000/- is paid to all women widowed by the disaster and all those left without means to support themselves as a consequence of gas exposure.

• Clean up: Indian government must ensure comprehensive scientific assessment of the depth, spread and nature of soil and groundwater contamination in an around the abandoned pesticide factory. Union Carbide / Dow Chemical must pay for the clean-up of the soil and groundwater up to international standards. The state government must cease and desist from covering up the contamination by building a memorial to the disaster on top of the contaminated lands.