Chapter Spotlight – NetSAP Boston with the “Bhopal Chemical Disaster” survivors

NetSAP-Boston partnered and participated in a community awareness event called “Bhopal Chemical Disaster” on April 25th, 09. The event was organized by Saru Mahajan, Community Awareness Chair on the NetSAP-Boston board.
 
The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, http://boston4bhopal.org ,  is a coalition of survivors group that got together in Boston after several other tours around the world. These survivors have been working for justice and a life of dignity after suffering through one of the world’s worst industrial disaster, and for a toxic free future for all. The event was organized with various organizations around Boston including MIT, AID-Boston and various other Human Rights Group.
 
The Union Carbide Chemical Disaster of 1984 that happened in Bhopal, India killed more than 23,000 people due to a catastrophic gas leak and ongoing water contamination in the central Indian city. The youth from the second generation of survivors are affected by the ongoing water contamination from the abandoned Union Carbide factory site.
 
Dynamic youth leaders, 16 year old Sarita Malviya and Safreen Khan, traveled from their homes in Bhopal, India to the US and Canada to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Bhopal Chemical Disaster. Traveling with the teens was Rachna Dingra of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, an international coalition of survivors and supporters with a worldwide presence. The campaign called for ‘No More Bhopals’, more effective regulation of the chemical industry, and greater rights for marginalized communities to protect them from chemical harm.
 
The main purpose of this event was to educate the attendees about the plight of people in Bhopal after 25 years and how they are still struggling for resolution. The stories told by the individuals reached out to the audience and impacted them immensely. Many people gave donations to the group and also helped the group reach out to other major Human Rights groups in the US and world. After the meet, similar meets were organized in Boston. Several individuals from NetSAP-Boston also assisted the victims by providing monetary support and also helped them with setting up other funds.
 
Pallavi Chhabra, NetSAP Boston President remarked that “NetSAP was proud to partner with the Coalition in a first-of-its-kind community service event; The survivors of the tragedy shared their moving stories with the attendees and overall feedback was positive leading us to believe that NetIP should participate in more such events, not only in Boston but across the Nation”