Bhopal

Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh, is known for the chemical disaster of 1984. About the incident, caused by the leakage of 40 tons of methyl isocyanate from the Union Carbide pesticide factory, which killed in one night at least 4,000 people, much has been written. Less known is the so-called second poisoning. The toxic waste has never been removed from the disused factory, with the result that the soil and the aquifers have been contaminated. Several studies show that in the area surrounding the factory the incidence of diseases (cancer, damage to nervous system, liver and kidney) is still much higher than the country’s average. We came in contact with some families who have children affected by diseases related to this contamination. We were welcomed into their homes (sometimes very poor), and got permission to portray the kids. The pictures are a report concerning the current condition of Bhopal.