Customer Reviews

A Killing Wind: Inside Union Carbide and the Bhopal Catastrophe

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Bhopal Catastrophe, or The Gas Disaster as it is more commonly referred to, relates to the sudden release of a highly poisonous gas, Methyl Isocyanate (MIC), from a pesticide manufacturing plant. The plant was managed by an Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation, Danbury, Connecticut. The release of the poisonous cloud from the factory settled over the low lying areas of the city, killing thousands and permanently injuring hundreds of thousands. The night of December 2nd to 3rd, 1984 remains etched in history as a scandalous example of corporate greed and governmental inefficiency leading to a calamity of unprecedented proportions.

Dan Kurzman's book about the disaster cleverly interweaves human interest stories of several people who were directly involved with the disaster. The narrative is brought to palpable life through a comprehensive cast of characters that extends from the top echelon management to the ordinary worker on the factory floor. Besides the personalities at Union Carbide, the author takes us into the lives of other ordinary people, includes the bigwigs in positions of power in Bhopal, the capital city in Madhya Pradesh, a state in Central India. Along the way we get valuable insights into several individuals starting with Warren Anderson, CEO, V.P. Gokhale, Managing Director, J. Mukund, Plant Manager, S. Qureshi, Shift Supervisor, S. Dubey, Control Room Technician, all within the Union Carbide hierarchy. We also meet Arjun Singh, Chief Minister, and several ordinary people living in around the factory, like Chandabee a pregnant tribal, Munnibai a water carrier, Syed Ali the TV technician, etc. We also meet Ram Keshwani, who made prophetic forecasts about the possibility of doom that could engulf Bhopal.

Kurzman eloquently sets the scene and poignantly describes the chaos and confusion after the release of the gas, the mayhem as people start to die in the homes and on the streets and their torments as they try in vain to flee a deadly killer. In the chapter entitled "The Aftermath" the author describes the initial accusation and the controversial denials about the release of MIC, leading to the failure in instituting the appropriate antidote therapy. The frenetic efforts in the disposal of the bodies and the failure of the record keeping mechanisms to properly document the details of the afflicted hordes, ultimately led to the even greater tragedy in implementing relief measures. We also find out about Warren Anderson's plans to visit Bhopal, his subsequent arrest and the political maneuvers at damage control by the governmental bureaucrats and politicians.

In subsequent chapters, entitled "The Jungle" and "The Snakepit," besides the ongoing suffering of those who survived the gas exposure, additional characters are introduced into the narrative. It includes the high powered Indian scientific establishment which is completely ignorant about MIC, its effects and how to deal with it. The book also reveals details about the arrival of hordes of American personal injury lawyers, who signed up victims with promises of fantastic compensations. There are several others, especially that despicable sub-species of human parasites who thrive on other people's misery, those who demanded kickbacks to issue certificates and documentation, give treatment, and others who siphoned off the relief food and supplies. Not every one is painted a villain, we also read about the Sadgopals, and other activists, who labored under extreme provocation to provide some succor to the people in Bhopal. Subsequently Kurzman exposes details about the deadlock in the judicial proceeding and finally the unsatisfactory settlement.

Kurzman is a skilled craftsman with words and a magician in what he achieves. By a clever sleight of hand he almost manages to absolve Union Carbide Corporation of responsibility for the accident. In this book, Warren Andersen, CEO of Union Carbide Corporation turns out to be an almost Christ like figure, benevolent, benign, paternalistic and caring. Andersen places his own life in jeopardy, in rushing to Bhopal to help render aid and succor to the afflicted denizens. Andersen also agonizes when forced to cut loose the Indian subsidiary from the parent corporation as a protection against damaging litigation and crippling penalties. The books focus is on the chaos and confusion on the streets of Bhopal and the corruption in the corridors of power, Governmental ineptitude and the vulture like frenzy of the personal injury lawyers. Kurzman manages to convert the big bad monster that is Union Carbide into a rather charming, concerned company out to save the world. The poor people of Bhopal have been victimized thrice - once by the poison, second by politics, and then again by the inaccurate reporting in this book.

This major flaw not withstanding, the book is both illuminating and educational. Without getting too technical, the book gives valuable insight into the disaster, and captures the events of the catastrophe, both its ambiance and the cultural ethos. It's just too bad the author could be objective in his assessments, and not critical of the role of Multi-national corporations.