PUPILS learnt about one of the world’s worst industrial disaster from those who remain working with survivors.

Youngsters from Waltham Forest schools, including Buxton School and Hillyfield Primary School, met members of the Bhopal Medical Appeal (BMA) team.

The aim was to raise awareness and gain support for fundraising activities.

The project was arranged by Waltham Forest Council's education contractor, VT Group; specifically their Change for Children team.

In December 1984 a catastrophic gas leak from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, was the start of the shocking disaster.

Between eight and ten thousand people died within the first 72 hours.

Since then at least another 15,000 people have died as a result of their exposure to the toxic gas and another 120,000 have chronic medical conditions that require constant healthcare.

Today, many thousands of people are still suffering the after effects of the disasterand the Bhopal Medical Appeal team work with those affected to provide healthcare and support.

Youngsters from the borough met members of the team at Walthamstow Town Hall last Thursday.

Renu Gaur, from Bhopal, works for at a clinic which is funded by the Bhopal Medical Appeal.

She said: "The damage is still very evident.

"First we had the gas disaster, which has affected so many lives. People are still suffering because of it, they have lung problems, breathing problems and many other problems.

"But then the other disaster we are facing is the contaminated water – the water that has been contaminated by the chemicals of the Union Carbide factory."

“BMA actually raises funds in the UK and other countries and sends it back to the clinic in Bhopal so that we can provide free medical services to the sufferers.

“We have been touring schools, spending time with children and telling them about what happened in Bhopal and what children their age are doing there.

"There is a group in Bhopal called the Children Against Carbide and Dow, so in the UK we are telling UK children about the work the children in Bhopal are doing; what the [Indian] Government has not done, what they should be doing; and asking the children what their ideas are for fundraising and how they can help us.”