Latest news with #BhopalGasTragedy
News18
18-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Important matters listed in Supreme Court on Friday
Agency: Last Updated: Important matters listed before the Supreme Court on Friday, July 18: * SC to hear plea of Lalu Prasad Yadav in land-for-jobs case. *SC to hear plea of music composer Ilaiyaraaja seeking to transfer a copyright dispute. *SC to hear plea seeking intervention to save Kerala nurse on death row in Yemen. *SC to hear plea pertaining to Bhopal Gas Tragedy. PTI PKS AMJ AMJ Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bhaskarjit Neog's ‘What Responsibility, Whose Responsibility' analyses the philosophical grounds for ascribing moral agency to groups
Plutarch reports that the sophist Protagoras and the Statesman Pericles once spent a day discussing the cause of an accidental death of a passer by, killed by a javelin thrower at the Olympic Games. What or who killed him? The javelin, the thrower or the organisers, whose poor arrangement led to his death? Like a bullet, we aim to fix responsibility on the one who fired the gun not on the gun. But there are larger questions, touched upon in that ancient debate. What about the person who sold the gun, or the policies that allowed him to sell it? Questions of responsibility do not always stop at the level of individual actors; their instrumentality may be facilitated by organisational negligence. Negligence may be a responsibility bearing cause. Even here, the blame is fixed on some person(s), as in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. It is convenient, legally and morally, to blame an individual rather than an organisation, which lacks consciousness, often seen as necessary and sufficient to fix moral responsibility. The further up the causal chain, the more indiscernible and tenuous a singular cause. Bhaskarjit Neog's 'What Responsibility? Whose Responsibility?' studies the philosophical grounds for ascribing moral agency to groups. He 'analyses the moral culpability of collective entities implicated in institutional injustice, corporate scams, organised crimes, gang wars, genocide, xenophobia, and other group-based violence'. Philosophers usually pin responsibility on the idea of free will: only conscious agents have the freedom to choose. There is no such thing (pace Rousseau and Durkheim or even Hegel) as a group mind. The sum of individuals is not a group. Even groups that are hierarchically organised are composed of individual actors, who may or may not be responsible for what one of them does, even if they are 'only following orders' (a defence that did not work in Nuremberg). But individual actions can often be understood only within a broader social context. Civil unrest, for instance, may enable individuals to take advantage of chaos or suffer its consequences. Were enough steps taken to prevent that protest from turning into a riot? If not, who is responsible? The moral/legal response is usually of the form 'Heads must roll', placing responsibility on the determinate actors. Here, Neog makes an interesting distinction between holding someone morally responsible and punishing them. The International Court of Justice can affix blame on countries, without having the teeth to take action against them. We may blame country A and its leaders for invading country B, without being able to punish them in any way. As one critic of collective responsibility said, 'You can only wave flags or write poems'. Granted that there are collectives (structured or unstructured), who is the bearer of collective responsibility? While some collectives like hospitals or municipalities can and have been held responsible for the actions of their employees, without being regarded as morally complicit, there are other cases, where groups or collectives are not easy to regard as agents. If a number of people are killed in a stampede, or drown in a flash flood, who can be held morally responsible? Neog argues that collectives can have both intentionality and agency and, therefore, have a sort of personal identity, even if its members change over time. A murderous crowd may add or lose individual members as it goes on a rampage but retains its identity and its collective intentions. Elias Canetti, in his classic work, 'Crowds and Power', describes what he calls…. 'The baiting crowd (which is like)…the hunting pack…it forms with reference to a quickly attainable goal. The goal is known and clearly marked and is also near. This crowd is out for killing and it knows whom it wants to kill. It heads for this goal with unique determination… One important reason for the rapid growth of the baiting crowd is that there is no risk involved… because (it has) immense superiority… no one need fear the sanction attached to killing… (the) permitted murder stands for all the murders people have to deny themselves for fear of the penalties for their perpetration.' There are many questions, some of which Neog's thought-provoking book raises about the conduct of and control exercised by, diverse collectives and how the actions of individuals can be attributed not merely to other individuals but the collective itself, which can be held morally responsible. For those burdened with having to deal with corporate entities (banks, service providers, online platforms), the pursuit of individuals, who act on their behalf is often a Kafka-esque nightmare. Even when we know who to blame, we often need to cross the border that separates the instrument from the organisation that wields it and the even larger opaque structure ultimately responsible. More theoretical work needs to be done before we can answer the question of how such groups can be thought of as morally culpable agents and treated accordingly. (The writer is a retired professor at St. Stephen's College)
Hans India
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
MyVoice: Views of our readers 4th July 2025
'Gill'er instinct Congrats to captain Gill for scoring a superlative double century at Edgbaston, in the second test vs. England. He showed all the qualities of a top class player. In the process Gill tumbled many records. He is the fifth Indian test captain to achieve this outstanding feat. Also, he is the fourth Indian to have double centuries in both tests and ODI format. Gill is the 25th Indian and 203rd cricketer in the world to have scored a test double ton. First Indian to hit a double ton was Polly Umrigar (in 1955). Indian with most double tons is Virat Kohli (7). First to score a double ton in test is Billy Murdoch (in 1884). Player with most double tons in tests is Aussie star Donald Bradman (12). P V P Madhu Nivriti, Secunderabad Act fast on industrial mishaps Sigachi Pharma blast is a most unfortunate accident. The mental agonies of the family members whose kith and kin got killed and injured ,cannot be healed by sympathies from various corners . This becomes common in all accidents and disasters like blasts , stampedes , monsoon troubles, train, air and road accidents. The Air India crash too caused the same type of mental agonies . It is a known fact that Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984 caused thousands of deaths and injured lakhs of people. But, the related investigation and probe got dragged till 2010 .The Prime Minister and all the Chief Ministers are requested to instruct their team of officials to complete the investigation to obtain all the facts of the accidents at the earliest to punish the culprits . More over these reports shall provide essential safety and preventive care for all such companies and industries ,which shall be implemented. G Murali Mohan Rao, Secunderabad Welcome move It is heartening to note that Karnataka Cabinet has approved of renaming Benguluru City University as Singh City University as a befitting tribute to his legacy and it is the first of its kind in the country to be named after him who brought in economic reforms under the then PM PV Narasimha Rao. It is also to be noted that the Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had announced that in Bangalore University they are going to start a research and study centre for all students to learn about the reforms that had created for the growth of the country. He being an illustrious alumnus of Oxford and Cambridge, we wish that these Universities in Bengaluru will strive to have faculty exchange with those Universities to continue the legacy that Manmohan has left there as a humble scholar who brought laurels to his mother country. Dr T Ramadas, Visakhapatnam A thoughtful gesture Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to officially announce a guard of honour for individuals who donate their body or organs after death. The initiative includes a guard of honour during last rites for donors of heart, liver, kidney, or entire body, public recognition of their families on Republic Day (26 Jan) or Independence Day (15 Aug). The CM of MP, Dr Mohan Yadav, deserves to be congratulated for this noble and thoughtful gesture. However, the state government should also ensure that the procedure/process for both, full body donation as well as organ donation, is made as simple as possible. Also, ads must be placed in newspapers to encourage people to donate their body/vital organs and to inform people how to go about it. Failing this last mile effort, the full impact of this noble step may not be accomplished. Donating one's body/organs is indeed a good way of contributing to medical science as well as to society. Avinash Godboley, Dewas (MP) The perils of anti-ageing drugs The death of Shefali Jariwala recently due to sudden cardiac arrest has shocked her fans and others alike .Reports revealed that Jariwala was on botox injections and other injectable drugs like Glutathione ,which is widely being marketed as an anti- ageing drug due to its remarkable Skin Whitening effects .Glutathione has entered the beauty market through spas ,salons and wellness clinics and it's use is unregulated .Glutathione is often paired with Vit C. Jariwala had taken a Vit C IV drip the day she died. Reports suggest that the drip may have caused a sudden drop in her Blood Pressure ,leading to cardiac arrest. Her death has exposed the risk associated with chasing Anti aging fads .Most of the spas and beauty clinics administer the Botox injections and other IV drugs without any medical supervision and are not trained to handle any emergency situations . In the craze for looking young and beautiful, youth are risking their lives by opting for treatments which pose a potential damage to their vital organs Parimala G Tadas, Hyderabad
India Gazette
30-06-2025
- India Gazette
MP: Incineration of 337 tonnes Union Carbide waste concludes at Pithampur factory
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): The incineration of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy has been completed at a waste disposal factory in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district in the early hours of Monday. Four decades after the tragic incident of the 'Bhopal gas tragedy', a total of 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste materials from the Union Carbide factory site were shifted to Ramky company located in Pithampur for disposal on the night of January 1. But due to fear among the public and protests staged by them, incineration of the waste was not initiated. Following the directions of the court, the management of Union Carbide's hazardous waste started and finally incinerated. Regional Officer of Pollution Control Board Indore, Srinivas Dwivedi, told ANI, '337 tonnes of waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory was received for incineration and out of which 30 tonnes were incinerated as a trial run as per the instructions of Madhya Pradesh High Court between February 27 and March 12. After that, the High Court again instructed on March 27 to dispose of the remaining waste at the rate of 270 kg per hour. Following this, we began incineration of the waste from May 5, and it concluded in the early hours of June 30. The whole waste has been disposed of.' Speaking about the impact of incineration on the environment or causing pollution, he said that real-time monitoring was done, and everything was found within the limit. 'There is a monitoring system for pollution, and one can see through it. There are two things to observe: first, the source is examined, what is being burned, and secondly, the ambient air of the surrounding area is examined to see what its quality is. So, a real-time monitoring system was installed at the source of the chimney, which is monitored continuously, and its report is also available on the website, which is found within the limit,' he said. Additionally, manual monitoring was also done every week from the chimney and no such harmful element was found that has been the prescribed standards set by the Indian government for incinerators. It does not fall under the category of any damage, the Pollution Control Board officer said. 'The ambient air quality of nearby villages was also examined, and it was found to be within prescribed standards of the Indian government. A real-time online monitoring system was installed there as well, which is called CAAQMS (Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station). No complaint was received in relation to pollution,' he added. The officer also said that a separate secured landfill is being prepared for the residue of the Union Carbide waste post incineration. It is being prepared above the land and after depositing the residue, its capping will be done and a drainage system will also be built so that even rain water never gets infiltrated in it. He further highlighted that the landfill is being built above land as if any type of leakage occurs, it will be collected properly, no kind of pollution reaches to the ground or combines with groundwater. The Bhopal gas tragedy, considered the world's worst industrial disaster, occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984, when the deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant, claiming thousands of lives. (ANI)
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Babil Khan's birthday: A look back at his role in The Railway Men that won fans over
On Babil Khan's birthday, it's the perfect time to revisit and celebrate his standout role in The Railway Men, a performance that truly put him on the map. In addition to showcasing his raw talent and adaptability, this effort garnered him considerable praise from both critics and fans. He did get a lot of love for the show Qala but The Railway Men was something else! The Railway Men is a compelling and poignant tale of four unsung heroes from the Indian Railways who put their lives in danger to rescue thousands of lives, set against the horrific backdrop of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984. Babil portrayed Imad Riaz, one of the main protagonists. The show also starred Kay Kay Menon, R. Madhavan, and Divyenndu Sharma. Babil Khan in The Railway Men In The Railway Men, Babil's role was praised by many for the intensity he brought to the character. In fact, at the time, many even said that he had inherited his talent from his late father, Irrfan Khan, who was known for his mastery of the craft. Babil's character was complex and required a great deal of detailing, which he delivered through his dialogue delivery, expressions, and body language. Back then, one fan had written, 'Babil Khan's performance is nothing short of brilliant. With a unique sincerity and intensity, he effortlessly brings his character to life.' Another added, 'Babil Khan in #TheRailwayMen was simply phenomenal.' Babil Khan in #TheRailwayMen was simply phenomenal. To distract myself from #KathaAnkahee news all day I decided to watch The Railway Men on Netflix and man what a brilliant and gut wrenching web series 💯😳one of the best of the year and Babil Khan is here to is his father's son😎 Things We Forgot: Babil Khan in The Railway Men (2023) A third went on to add, 'KK menon Sir, Babil khan reached Baap Level acting by last ep.' #TheRailwayMen Review:Peheli baar Postmortem 🔪🩸itna khullam khulla dekhaBuildUp & R-Rated disturbing scenes were Top ClassIt Start's slow but paisa & time vasool SeriesKK menon Sir, Babil khan reached Baap Level acting by last ep.8/10 If you haven't seen The Railway Men yet, Babil's birthday is the ideal time to do so. You can stream the show on Netflix.
