Official Bhopal Response to Dean, CEG, Anna University

Bhopal Supporters around the world have written to the Dean of the College of Engineering at Anna Universiry in Chennai over the past few weeks, calling on the University to dump Dow's sponsorship from their annual Guindy's Kurukshetra Techfest. Although the University did not drop the sponsorship, they have had to answer to the public outcry from their decision to associate with the company.

Many actvists got a response from Dr. M. Sekar to their inquiries (exerpts are in italics below). The International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal has officially responded to his reply.

Sent via email - January 26, 2010

Dear Dr. M. Sekar,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmachari Sangh, and the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha, all of which are organizations devoted to the welfare of the victims of the December 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal.

Tell Anna University to Dump Dow Sponsorship

Dow Chemical, the company responsible for the continuing medical and environmental disaster in Bhopal, is on a binge to purchase legitimacy. It has paid Rs. 5 lakhs as sponsorship for College of Engineering at Anna Universiry in Chennai, Guindy's Kurukshetra Techfest 2010. IIT Delhi and Kanpur have returned Dow's money a day before the sponsored event. It is never too late to do the right thing! See our recent Press Release and a related news story from Jan 13 and from Jan 19.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION. IT WON'T TAKE MORE THAN A MINUTE.

Send a polite SMS to the Dean of College of Engineering, Guindy, urging him to return the money and expose his students and faculty to a public debate on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Dow's role in exacerbating the disaster. Ethical decisions are difficult decisions. The Dean says Dow has been a partner of CEG for many years now. Tell him it's never too late to do the right thing. Tell him to cut ties with Dow Chemical.

SUGGESTED TEXT: "Please dissociate with Dow Chemical. Allow students to learn about Bhopal tragedy. Engineering without ethics led to Bhopal disaster. YOUR NAME. CITY. CLASS (If Alumni)."
CELL NUMBER: +91 9940666725