Efforts of Pune farmers lauded

Bhopal, Jan 19: Bhopal Group for Information and Action on Saturday applauded efforts of farmers at Pune who stopped the Dow Chemical from setting up its Rs 400 crore Research and Development Unit at Chkhan in Pune. Remarkably, residents of 15 villages of Shinde Vasuli, Pune organized as the Bhamchandragarh Bachao Warkari Farmer Sangharsh Samiti led the protest and sat on dharna since last two days.

Earlier, the Dow Chemical was warned by protesters not to initiate construction until the company takes its outstanding responsibility for the 1984, Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal. Expressing solidarity with the ongoing dharna at the Dow R & D site, Rashida Bee a representative of the organizations of the survivors of the Bhopal disaster pointed out that Dow Chemical has continually refused to clean up the factory site in Bhopal, and denied its liabilities, in blatant disregard of the 'polluter pays' principal.

Over 500 women have been sitting on a dharna since last two days, blocking the road to the construction site of Dow's R & D Center. The members of the Warkari Samiti and the survivors of Bhopal charge the Maharashtra government with collusion with the killers of Bhopal. Members of the Warkari Samiti point out that Indian scientist have found that Union Carbide was engaged in chemical warfare experiments in the guise of developing insecticides at its R & D centre in Bhopal. On behalf of the Warkari Samiti Vilas Sonawane said that, "Dow is a criminal corporation that cannot be trusted, and we stand united with the survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster to throw Dow Chemical Company out of Pune."