Page 2 - LN- Std 8 - civics - Chap 7 - Subtopic - 2

 Union Carbide stopped its operations but left behind tons of toxic chemicals

which have seeped into the ground contaminating water.
 Dow Chemical’s now owns the plant and refuses to take up the responsibility

of cleaning up.

 So many years later people are still fighting for justice, for safe drinking water,
for health care facilities and jobs for the poor people poisoned by Union

Carbide. They also demand that Anderson the UC chairman who faces

criminal charges be prosecuted.

What is a Worker’s worth?
 The most important question that comes to mind is why did Union Carbide

set up plant in India?
(I) – Foreign companies come to India for cheap labour.

(II) – Wages that they pay in India are much lower than what they would pay

in USA.
(III) – They can also get longer hours of work.

(IV) – They do not have to bother about housing facilities for workers.
(V) – Thus they can save costs.

(VI) – Cost cutting is also done by lowering safely measures and cutting down

the number of workers. The period of safety training is also decreased.
The posts of night-shift worker’s was also abolished

Union Carbide’s other plant in USA (West Virginia)

(I) – It had computerized warning and monitoring systems in place, But the Bhopal

plant had manual gauges and human senses to detect gas leaks.
(II) – At the West Virginia plant in the USA. There were emergency evacuation plans

but in Bhopal it was not – existent.
 The worth of an Indian worker – one worker can easily replace another.

Since there is so much unemployment workers are willing to work in

unsafe conditions in return for a wage.
 The employers take advantage of the workers vulnerability and ignore

safety norms at the workplace.