Human Element Campaign And Bhopal Disaster
DOW Chemical
During 1984 in Bhopal, a city located in central India, people witnesses a very tragic event (Mheta, 2009). A leaking insecticide tank caused the death of over 10,000 people in the northern area of the country. A reported 45 tons of toxic gas was released from the plant which spread across surrounding neighborhoods, which was mostly the slum area. Methyl Isocyanate compound gas entered peoples’ homes while they slept. Almost 4,000 people died in their sleep, the rest did not make it to safety. Direct exposure and toxic fumes filled the land and caused much devastation. Even though this tragic event has happened nearly three decades ago, the country is still in shock (Mheta, 2009).
The Olympic Games
The London 2012 games received much criticism because of their sponsor, DOW Chemical, who was responsible for the Bhopal tragedy. They are present in hopes for the London games to be one of the first sustainable Olympic Games. This is in contrast with the over-the-top and non-green production in Beijing. London wanted to leave an environmentally responsible legacy. However, Dow Chemical, being a sponsor has struck controversy in the games. Many critics have stated that Dow Chemical should take full responsibility over Bhopal. A lot of protestors who are against greenwashing and globalization believe that the Bhopal story should be openly shared with investors. Dow is being made to be transparent about their history and what caused the tragic event in Bhopal (Kriplan, 2008). People believe that this public relations problem can be reversed if Dow takes the stage at the Olympic games and openly apologizes as well as takes responsibility over Bhopal. This solution is a clear and strong one.
Disaster Relief
Of course, for other countries the disastrous event is but a distant memory (Now, 2004). Countries stood alongside India in mourning, but the thought of the disaster soon left them. Even almost thirty years after the event, people of Bhopal are still suffering from the aftermath. Those who have lost their loved ones from the tragic event are still burdened by it. The city was not able to fully recover from it. The leak did not only cause death, but it was responsible for about 558,125 injuries. The city is now broken and is a symbol of human suffering and despair (Vosters, 2003).
Those companies who were responsible for this accident deflected responsibility for three decades (Sharma, Chaudhary & Singh, 2008). They turn their eyes away from those who are suffering because of the event. The slums has extended to areas closer to the nearby abandoned plant. What makes things worse is that the low cost of living drive people closer to this area. Instead of taking full responsibility and taking full account for the event, companies turned a blind eye towards Bhopal. There are still on-site chemicals that are affecting the quality of the water and are hazardous for the health of those living nearby. Those living in the slums are forced to drink groundwater which is tainted with toxic chemicals. The incident in Bhopal was never resolved. Dow Chemical was quick to point fingers and claim sabotage. After playing the blame game for so long, the case fell into a black hole while the citizens of the city were only left to suffer.
References
Citation 1: Kripalan, M. (2008). Dow Chemical: liable for Bhopal? The 1984 disaster was
Union Carbide's fault, but many Indians want to hold Dow
accountable.Business week, 61.
Current: 4/5 this paper is a couple of years outdated, however it was written just before the London games
Relevant: 5/5 for relevancy because it speaks of the Bhopal disaster and holds Dow Chemical responsible
Authority: The author gets 5/5, being an Indian journalist who has been studying this issue for a while
Accurate: 5/5 for accuracy because the events in the article as well as the details are to the point
Purpose: The purpose gets 5/5 because it is a very persuasive and informative article
Citation 2: Mehta, S. (2009). A Cloud Still Hangs Over Bhopal. The New York Times, 2.
Current: 5/5 the article was written just a couple of years back
Relevant: 5/5 because the article speaks of the Olympic Games and studied the event in Bhopal
Authority: 5/5, the author is from India, yet studied in a Western school, giving him two views.
Accurate: 5/5 the details of the article are in conjunction with the facts on the tragedy in Bhopal
Purpose: 5/5 because it does its part in letting the world know about how the citizens of Bhopal are still suffering
Citation 3: Now, D. (2004). Yes Men Hoax on BBC Reminds World of Dow Chemical’s Refusal
Current: 3/5 the article was written almost ten years ago
Relevant: 5/5 shows how Dow refused to take responsibility over the disaster, which is the point of the essay
Authority: 5/5 the writer of this case studied the Bhopal disaster and writes about similar current affairs
Accurate: 5/5 the details of this article are very accurate and show quotes from both parties in the case.
Purpose: 5/5 reminds the world that the Bhopal disaster is still a problem in India and citizens have yet to recover
Citation 4: Sharma, S. K., Chaudhary, A., & Singh, R. V. (2008). Gray chemistry verses
Green chemistry: challenges and opportunities. Rasayan Journal of
Chemistry,1, 68-92.
Current: 4/5 the article was written about five years ago, yet still holds relevant information
Relevant: 5/5 it speaks of the accident and instead of pointing fingers, shows opportunities for Bhopal citizens
Authority: 5/5 the authors are studied chemical engineering and understand the problem in Bhopal
Accurate: 5/5 they take a different view on the disaster and have accurate information
Purpose: 5/5 they succeeded in informing people about the disaster and show it in a different light – how Bhopal can rise from this event
Citation 5: Vosters, H. (2003). Bhopal survivors confront Dow. They say Dow execs lied
Current: 3/5 the article was written ten years ago, yet this was during the time when Dow was being questioned
Relevant: 5/5 the article speaks of the legal case against Dow and the company’s reaction
Authority: 5/5 The writer studied the case from a legal perspective and has authority in the subject
Accurate: 5/5 all information presented was cited and could be backed up with relevant sources
Purpose: 5/5 the purpose of the article was to inform the public about how Dow avoided responsibility, which coincided with the essay
