Among the 450 novel Coronavirus-related deaths in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), 254 were Gas-hit victims, activists allege.

Rachna Dhingra, a public health activist associated with Bhopal Group of Information told the Dialogue, “While the gas victims of 1984 tragedy constitute only 17 percent of Bhopal population, their proportion in covid19 deaths is a whopping 56 percent.”

The activists used official records to come up with this finding which links covid deaths with the past exposure of deadly Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal on 2 December 1984.

These 254 deceased persons either held health smart cards or the compensation letters related to the tragedy meant for the gas tragedy affected people.

Today is the 36th anniversary of that tragedy in which over five lakh people were exposed to MIC gas on a winter night. About 3,000 people killed and 4,000 sustained permanent disability injuries while more than 38,000 were temporarily injured in the incident, which is among the world’s biggest industrial disasters.

Reasons for disproportionate Death

The exact reason behind the gas victims' disproportionate death from covid is unclear; the State government is yet to acknowledge it. The activists say most gas victims suffer from comorbidities ranging from obesity to diabetes to hypo or hyperthyroidism, making them more vulnerable to covid complications.

“Out of the gas victims who died due to Covid-19, 81% had comorbidities as a result of gas exposure. About 75% of the gas victims died within 5 days of hospital stay. Of them, most have died within 24 hours of hospital admission,” claims Sainath Sarangi, who is associated with Sambhavna Trust Clinic in Bhopal which works for the gas victims.

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Sarangi says, “Individuals who had been exposed to gas are 2.75 times more likely to be overweight or obese, compared to those who were not. They suffer from hyper and hypothyroidism twice compared to non-exposed. Their metabolic and immune system has taken a hit post-tragedy.”

Sarangi’s data is based on 27,000 plus Individuals under care at the Sambhavna Trust Clinic in the past 15 years.

He says there is no other explanation of the disproportionate deaths of gas victims due to covid19 for they belonged to the same social-economic strata as the non-gas victims dying of coronavirus.

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Sarangi says, “The fresh findings establish the fact that gas victims have suffered permanent damage due to exposure to toxic gases.”

Younger Gas Victims Also Died of Covid

“The analysis of 60 deaths shows that among the Covid-19 deaths of people under the age of 60, 85% of those are gas victims. That means not only old gas victims but an overwhelming number of younger gas victims also died due to covid”, Nawab Khan of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha said in a statement.

The organizations say that they had apprised the Central and the State governments in the month of March-April itself of the fact that gas victims were 5 times more vulnerable to Covid.

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“That is why we stressed on testing and monitoring of high-risk gas victims. Despite the MP High Court order of 21 April which directs Bhopal Memorial Hospital & Research Centre to test gas victims visiting the campus, the hospital turned away many.

Govt must seek more compensation from Dow

Four organizations working for the gas tragedy survivors have demanded that the government must seek higher compensation from Dow Chemical, the current owner of the Union Carbide.

The significantly higher rates of corona deaths among the gas-exposed population prove that they are suffering from long term health consequences of the tragedy and not ‘temporary injuries’ as made out while paying compensation to them, the organizations insist.

“The Indian government should present these details and other hospital records before the Supreme Court that is hearing the curative petition for additional compensation for damage caused by the December 1984 disaster”, Nawab Khan says.

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