Hindustan
Times: Bhopal: Wednesday, 22 October 2014.
A national
level research institute meant to study the impact of Bhopal gas tragedy on
health of the survivors and environment around the abandoned Union Carbide
factory is limping with staff crunch, poor facilities and little progress on
research front. Gas survivors' organisations have claimed on basis of documents
obtained through Right to Information (RTI) that during the last four year
since its inception, the National Institute for Research on Environmental
Health (NIREH) has failed to complete even a single research. During the last
four years, only 412 patients have benefitted in form of clinical treatment for
eye and pulmonary problems.
The NIREH, an
Indian council of Medical Research (ICMR) centre, was set up on the campus of
the Kamla Nehru Hospital in year 2010 as a Union government initiative to find
out the long term impact of the Bhopal gas tragedy on people and environment of
the city. However, the institute has failed to make any positive impact for the
gas survivors, organisations have said.
Balkrishna
Namdeo of Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha alleged
"Of the 10 research proposals listed, only one project is working. Two
other projects are being carried out by external researchers at their own work
places." He further said that of the sanctioned 184 posts, only 44 have
been filled and even their academic qualification/expertise remains questionable.
Rachna
Dhingra of Bhopal Group of Information and Action (BGIA) said that the
institute does not have a full time director. Of the five scientists currently
in NIREH, four have not published a single research paper in international
journals in their entire career and two have faced disciplinary action.
She also said
that in violation of ICMR's ethical code, research on survivors of the gas
disaster is being carried out without their informed consent which has led to
two of research projects being stopped midway. Satinath Sarangi, also of BGIA,
alleged that out of the six clinical research wings, only one (pulmonary
department) is functional.
Rashida Bee
of Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karmchari Sangh alleged that despite
expenditure of Rs. 8 crore on renovation, no laboratory at NIREH is in working
condition.
Recently,
during the 5th anniversary celebrations of the institute, the gas survivors'
organisations had submitted a memorandum to the acting director of the
institute, Dr Manoj Pandey. "There has been no response from him,"
Dhingra said. The repeated attempts of HT to contact Dr Pandey also were in
vain as he did not respond to phone calls and text message.