Bhopal, July 23: Victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy staged a protest today at Kamla Nehru Hospital. They accused authorities of attempting to relocate the emergency ward to another facility. The protesters warned that any move to remove emergency services for gas victims would be intolerable.
The demonstration was led by four organizations advocating for the rights of gas victims. Rashida B, leader of the Bhopal Gas Victims Women Stationery Employees Union, expressed deep concern over the proposed transfer. She stated that shifting the emergency ward to the radiology department of Hamidia Hospital, which poses continuous radiation risks, endangers the lives of gas victims.
The victims allege that no independent radiological safety assessment was conducted prior to this transfer, nor was there any approval from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The AERB’s approval clearly states that a waiting area for patients cannot be established there, yet Hamidia Hospital and contractors continue to push gas victims into this unsafe environment.
The protesters demand an immediate halt to all plans for relocating the emergency ward and insist that it be restored to its original condition. They also call for a complete public safety assessment and a ban on the construction of any radioactive bunkers at Kamla Nehru Hospital without AERB approval.
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