Bhopal survivors demand immediate closure of Vedanta Sterlite factory

Said Rashida Bee President of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, "The nexus between Vedanta Sterlite and the Tamilnadu government  is as old, as blatant and as murderous as in the case of the Bhopal Gas disaster.  Just as in Bhopal the people of Toothukudi have been protesting against the company for last 25 years and the governments at the state and the centre have always protected Sterlite's interests. "

Nawab Khan of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha said, "Just as in Bhopal poisonous contaminants were detected in the groundwater near the factory many years back and just as in Bhopal the Nagpur based government scientific agency NEERI falsified scientific data to downplay the impact of contamination."

"Just as in Bhopal, the state pollution control board has been in cahoots with the polluting company and the government continues to  ignore overwhelming and clear evidence of contamination," said Rachna Dhingra of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

Sarita Malaviya of Children against Dow-Carbide said, "We are in solidarity with our fellow victims of corporate crime in Thoothukudi  and join them in demanding immediate closure of Vedanta Sterlite's copper smelting plant."