Bhopal tragedy fallout: Even now children are born with defects

Deadly repercussions

In the 1984 gas tragedy-struck localities of Bhopal, far too many children are born with defects even today while increasing number of men are diagnosed with anaemia.

These and other findings form part of the preliminary findings of a study to be published in an international peer-reviewed journal.

Conducted by the Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA) and the Sambhavna Trust Clinic (STC) for over a period of two years and covering around 1.20 lakh people from 20,000 families in the vicinity of the Union Carbide factory, the study aims to do an epidemiological analysis on the people.

Under the study, activists want to understand the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in about 5,000 families each in four categories: Those who were exposed to the gas in 1984, those who live in the areas where there is chronic or acute water contamination, those who live in areas where the gas had spread and water contaminated and the areas which were not exposed to the gas.

Satinath Sarangi, associated with the BGIA and the STC, told Deccan Herald that they were analysing the findings of the study and hope to publish the findings in a reputed peer-reviewed journal by the end of 2013. He said this is the second such study conducted by the group in the past 10 years – first being in 2003 – and it aims at trying to find out the health conditions of the people in the area over a period of 30 years.

Rachna Dhingra, another activist, said the preliminary findings showed that there was high rate of birth defects among children in water contaminated localities. The localities are also witnessing anaemia among men and children. “Far too many children born with defects are noticed in gas-affected areas than unexposed localities. We are awaiting the final results,” Sarangi said.

In the absence of a long-term study on the health impact on people due to the gas tragedy and dumping of toxic waste inside factory premises resulting in contamination of soil and water, experts and activists involved in the fight for victims advocate the need for more such initiatives.

The BGIA study conducted with the help of experts like Dr Daya Verma, who had earlier conducted study on pregnant women of the localities, tries to find out the present health scenario of the localities.

The activists have set nine parameters for the study which include how child birth defects affected people below 30 years, reproductive history and comparison of mortality history during the first five years after the tragedy and during the last five years.

The study also covers cases of diagnosed cancer, tuberculosis and paralysis.
Sarangi claimed that the government had conducted a study in 1987-89 but it was discontinued after the initial phase despite the principal investigator saying that he wanted to study the effect on children who were born just after the gas leak and those who attained puberty. The STC study in 2003 has found that the male children in the areas which were polluted were at an average 8 kg lighter and 13 cm shorter than those children in other areas.

Activists and locals are urging the authorities for the immediate removal of toxic waste