Bhopal: Facts you should know.................

Bhopal: Facts you should know.................

Penny for poor

The Indian government filed a law suit in an US court and claimed damages worth $3.3 billion, in 1985. In February 1989, the Indian Government, led by Rajiv Gandhi, reached an out of court settlement with Union Carbide for $470 million, about 14% of what they originally claimed. Why did the govt bend so much? Because of the US pressure? Did the money reach the needy? 

Did he deserve conviction?

Arjun Singh, the CM of Madhya Pradesh when the disaster happened, 'got a call from someone, and he just obeyed the orders' to treat the Chief of Union Carbide warren Anderson as a state guest when he was "released" on bail, put on a state government flight, and flown to New Delhi. Anderson left the country soon thereafter, never to return ever again. Singh went on to become the Union Cabinet Minister for HRD in the early 90's and in the 2004-2009 UPA government. 

Something fishy........

Do you know who the lawyer for Dow Chemicals, which took over Union Carbide in 2000, is? Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Do you want to know what his official position now is? He is the official spokesperson of the Congress party at the national level. 

Medical facts covered up

Government denies all claims that victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy exposed to Methyl Isocynate gas are subject to congenital deformities or cancer risk. According to NR Bhandari, an ICMR investigator, the government suppressed the findings of the ICMR and the complete report has never been published. Many gas victims are suffering till date and most of the sufferers are poor people who were staying near by the tragedy site. These people are denied medical help as doctors refuse that they are gas affected.

Who is guilty?

Not one govt official — whether responsible for ensuring safety rules were adhered to or for assessing the potential health impact of the chemicals factory on the neighbouring Old Bhopal community — has been indicted. The dazzle of big names has the media and NGOs chasing high-profile defendants rather than the truly guilty. In Delhi’s Uphaar fire (1997) tragedy, Sushil Ansal was convicted despite being only a former director. The genuinely guilty party, Delhi Vidyut Board, got away with the trial of merely a junior engineer.

Unique and hidden destinations

Unique and hidden destinations

Rotorua, New Zealand

Rotorua city is known for its geothermal activity, with a number of geysers, notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and boiling mud pools . Rotorua is a top venture destination and is New Zealand’s Maori cultural heartland. Rotorua city is well-known for its unique foul smell, which is caused by the geothermal activity releasing sulphur into the atmosphere. It was once home to the Pink and White Terraces and one must visit the thermal wonderlands with sights that are beyond belief.

Socotra, Republic of Yemen

Socotra has been described as one of the most strange looking place on Earth. It is very remote with a harsh, dried out climate and hence 30% of its plant-life is found nowhere else, including the famous Dragon’s Blood Tree, a very abnormal looking umbrella-shaped tree which produces red sap. There are also a large number of birds, spiders and other flora and fauna. The coral reefs around have a large number of endemic and weird species too. Socotra is a World Heritage Site.

Mount Roraima, Brazil

Mount Roraima isis a tabletop mountain with 400-metre high cliffs on all sides. There is only one way up the mountains and that is on a natural staircase-like slope on the Venezuelan side . On the top of the mountain it rains every day, washing away most of the nutrients for plants to grow and sustain and it creates an exceptional landscape on the stripped sandstone surface. It also creates some of the highest waterfalls in the world over the sides .

Guaira Falls, Brazil

Located on the Parana river, the Guaíra Falls were the largest waterfall on earth, in terms of volume. 1,750,000 cubic feet of water fell over this waterfall each second on average, compared to just 70,000 cubic feet per second for Niagra Falls. However, the falls were flooded in 1982 when a dam was created to take benefit of this enormous flow rate. The Itaipu Dam is now the second most powerful hydroelectric dam in the world. The Itaipu Dam supplies 90% of the power consumed by Paraguay, and 19% of the power consumed by Brazil. 

Dunes of Pyla, France

Since Europe has no deserts, The Great Dune of Pyla, which is 3km long, 500m wide and 100m high, can easily be called as the largest stretch of desert in Europe. And the most bizarre personality it has is, that its between a thick green forest . The dune is very steep on the side in front of the forest and is well-known for being a paragliding site. At the top it provides stunning views out to sea and over the forest .