This was to
be posted on 23rd but I was taken away by a wedding (see later) and since then
the internet has been somewhat introverted and today, Sunday, is the first I
have managed to get it to behave at the same time as I have had time.
*****
This morning
Thorsten left us. He slipped out at about 05:30 on his way to catch the early
flight to Mumbai. Yesterday he asked me to check his English spelling in the
piece he has written for Colin at the BMA for the website and was telling me
how he had to get the bus when he came here. He had worked in the garden before
and brought along some good quality new pieces of equipment – secateurs,
clippers, knife etc. He had talked it past the Swedish baggage checkers on his
way here ( it was in his hold luggage) but in Mumbai his Hindi was not up to
the explanations that they were working tools and even though the bag was
destined for the hold, he was not allowed to board. He thinks he was lucky that
they weren’t confiscated and he held as a suspected terrorist as they seemed
reluctant to let him go but eventually agreed he could take them if he left the
airport. So he had to travel on the bus as he could not get a train ticket at
short notice.
We both
anticipated that his return would be easier as he has left it all behind as
gifts for the gardeners.
Tomorrow
evening Paul and Helen will return home to New Zealand. Paul has clearly done
much research about Bhopal, the explosion and the legal/political issues. It
was he who pointed out that, although it can be argued that campaigners and
others should just accept that the government of the day reached an agreement
about the ‘disaster’ claims, no matter how inadequate, but that there is still
a case to be answered about the pollution of the site and surrounding land and
water as that was nothing to do with the disaster and nothing to do with the
settlement. It is a separate issue and when Dow took over UCC they would have
known about that. He was telling me that there is written evidence that the UCC
scientists advised against the 
There was
another report done in 2013 about the pollution to the site and surrounding
areas, including the water. It also looked at all the other reports that had
been done over the years and concluded there is still much pollution in both
ground and water.
Paul is going
to do some more research and thinking, probably consulting friends who are more
knowledgeable about the water aspect and hopes to be able to return, maybe to
really DO something.
I met Reena
in the library. She is here representing the ICJB (north America) and is from
Canada. There is a meeting this weekend (Friday to Monday) where the agenda for
the next year will be set. It is usual for the survivor organisations to set
the focus.
In the last
year they have been making relationships with campaigns on other environmental
disasters, partly to stay relevant and current and partly to build the strength
of numbers and opinion.
*****
I was going to
post this last night when the internet access was not too bad, but in came
Devendra with a marriage invitation. We have had loud music for the past week
from just over the road, it’s a narrow road. The preliminaries to a wedding
tonight. Our vegetable supplier, Prappy, is involved and we had all been
invited along.
Hindu
weddings are BIG affairs as I am sure many of you know and this was taking
place just up the Berasia Road at DIG Bungalow, about 10 minute walk away. So
we all toddled off. This is the second wedding I have been to in India as the
last time I was here one of the Sambhavna staff was married nearby. There is a
lot of milling around and eating food , mostly in the open, and everyone was
pleased it was a fine night as yesterday it rained bucketfuls at about this
time. You need a lot of stamina to see both bride and groom as he turns up
quite late in the evening. In this case it was about 22:30 and he came, riding a white horse and accompanied by a throng of
dancing men. The former is a sight indeed just here but the dancing men, maybe
not.
*****
On Friday I
had a text from Sathyu that there was a “brilliant” sarod player on at the arts
centre, so decided to go. There were two young players performing, the other
was played the stringed instrument that uses a bow – I don’t know its name, but
it was probably either a dilruba, sarangi or esraj. Two excellent tabla players
accompanied, and the drone was provided by an electronic box.
*****
And
just a brief note on the weather – it has been cold, damp, mizzly for about
four days now and I understand from locals, unseasonally cold – well, that is
probably not the correct word since it is the cold time of year but colder than
usual and lasting for longer spells.
There
is no heating anywhere other than in warm clothing! I may have to do my yoga
today in a track suit!
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