Mr. Kumar This will hopefully set the facts about the Bhopal disaster right. The disaster was not caused by a careless worker, but due to systematic corporate cost-cutting that chopped the safety team by half, dismantled the refrigeration system for the MIC tank to save $70 a day, dismantled the alarm system, and neglected repeated warnings by workers, community and the media that a disaster was imminent.
It is because the evidence is irrefutable that Union Carbide's management and the decisions to cut-costs taken by senior management (very educated people) like Warren Anderson, that the Government of India filed a criminal case against Union Carbide Corporation and Anderson. There is no case against any worker for negligent behaviour. I agree with you though that only trained workers should be allowed to handle situations and equipment that require training. I only wish to add that the industries that are located in areas where economically marginalised (and illiterate) people live should be industries that can absorb local labour and capitalise and improve on their existing skills. In solidarity, Nity On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 8:50 PM, S kumar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > *I THINK YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE. I AM NOT A RACIST > NOR A BRAHMIN AND HAVE WORKED FOR UPLIFTMENT OF HARIJANS BY VISITING THE > SLUMS AND CONDUCTING NIGYHT CLASSES AND ADULT EDUCATION.* > ** > *HER WE ARE TALKING OF SKILLED LABOUR REQUIRED TO RUN INDUSTRIES WITH > DANGEROUS POTENTIALS IF NOT PROPERLY TRAINED. IF TRIBALS ARE TO BE > APPOINTED, THEY ARE TO BE EDUCATED AND THEN TRAINED TO ATTAIN THE SKILLS > REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE MACHINES. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE TOLD THE IMPORTANCE OF > HANDLING SUCH MACHINERY/ EQUIPMENTS/ CHEMICALS.* > ** > *YOU ARE AWARE HOW THE CARELESSNESS OF AN OPERATOR AT BHOPAL, IRRESPECTIVE > WHETHER A LOCAL, TRIBAL OR NOT, OPENING THE WATER-LINE INTO THE REACTORS > FILLED WITH METHYL ISOCYANATE LED TO THIS HUGE HUMAN TRAGEDY. IF PROPERLY > TRAINED, SUCH INCIDENTS COULD BE AVOIDED.* > ** > *ALL I MEANT IS THAT EMPLOYMENT OF LOCALS WITHOUT PROPER EDUCATION AND > TRAINING IN SKILLED OPERATIONS, IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGER OF SUCH TRAGEDIES.* > ** > > *prabir chatterjee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > S Kumar's comments remind me of the British views on "Self Rule". > The BJP accepted Babulal Marandi as Chief Minister. The JMM is basically > a Jharkhandi party, as is JVP. The RSS, the Gandhians and the Communists all > agree (as do the christian churches and any sane Indian) that tribals are > competent and local people should be given equal education and > opportunities. Any view that does not accept this is biased if not racist. > Prabir > > --- On *Sun, 6/1/08, S kumar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > 1*.WHAT I MEANT IS IN THE REAL SENSE. EVERYWHERE, WHENEVER A NEW PROT/ > INDUSTRY COMES UP, THERE IS A POLITICAL CLAMOUR FOR EMPLOYING LOCALS THOUGH > THEY ARE NOT SKILLED EITHER EDUCATIONALLY OR BY EXPERIENCE. SUCH LABOUR HAVE > FIRST TO BE TRAINED AND THEN ONLY PLACED IN SENSITIVE JOBS LIKE HANDLING > DANGEROUS CHEMICALS AND GASES..ETC.* > ** > ** > *3. I HAVE SEEN HOW BHILAI OFFICIALS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS IN COMMISSIONING > THE PLANT IN 1950-S, AS STATE GOVT. INSISTED ON RECRUITING LOCAL TRIBALS FOR > THE JOBS. INDEED, SEVERAL LOCALS WERE TAKEN, TRAINED AND THEN ONLY ALLOWED > TO HANDLE THE DANGEROUS OPERATIONS IN THE STEEL PLANT.* > > > > > *Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org.in/forum > *<http://www.jharkhand.org.in/forum> > <http://egroups.com/list/Jharkhand> > * * > > > > >
