|
I went to bed last night a bit earlier than usual. Can't say I can remember any dreams, and as always I woke up this morning to the smell of brewing coffee. Stretched, brushed my teeth, started up some some oatmeal, my normal morning routine. Sat in the kitchen and watched water enter the coffee pot. Steam rose from the top of the machine, and a few minutes later I enjoyed a cup.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh went to bed the night of December 2, 1984, many thousands of them for the last time. As they slept, water filled tank 610 of Union Carbide India, Ltd's pesticide production plant in a heavily populated section of the city. The water reacted with 42 metric tons of methyl isocyanate to raise pressure levels in the tank to the point where emergency venting sent massive volumes of a mix of toxic gasses spewing out into the city's night. The burning sensation in their lungs as they were being poisoned in their beds, in their homes, was what awoke countless Bhopalis that night. Thousands died instantly, while many more were trampled in the panicked flight away from the death cloud twenty five years ago today. Children were stomped to death in the streets by their neighbors as parents looked on helplessly.
Over 25,000 people eventually lost their lives directly due to the gas, and over 200,000 (some estimate many more) have suffered permanent injuries and chronic health problems from that night. Birth defects are still unusually high amongst the children of subsequent generations of those exposed. The people of Bhopal are still being poisoned. And they have yet to receive justice.
|
