Scores of foreign writers, journalists and activists from India and all over the world have arrived here for the 20th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster that has come to be known as the Bhopal gas tragedy.
If you see a Westerner in Bhopal now, chances are that he or she is a writer, journalist or activist, writing or fighting for the victims of the disaster, which hit this city exactly 20 years ago on the intervening night of Dec 2-3.
Over 40 tonnes of methyl-isocyanate, a deadly gas used for manufacturing a pesticide named Sevin, escaped in the form of a white fog from tank number 610 of the Union Carbide pesticide manufacturing plant.
The gas killed over 3,000 people instantly. Over 20,000 have died over the years from the after-effects of the gas poisoning, and 500,000 others have been maimed.
Among those here to mourn the dead and the suffering is French writer Dominique Lapierre who penned "It Was Five Past Midnight" on the disaster.
The French author was also present at a photo and poster exhibition that took place near the Union Carbide plant Thursday.
Later in the day, Lapierre was one of those who watched a film on the industrial tragedy, screened for the public near the pesticide manufacturing plant.
Abdul Jabbar, the activist who has tirelessly fought for the rights of the victims, held a symposium at Gandhi Bhawan titled 'Detoxification - 20 years after the Bhopal disaster' on the eve of the 20th anniversary Thursday.
Speaking at the function, noted Delhi-based environmental activist Vandana Shiva said the Bhopal gas tragedy was not an accident but a corporate crime.
"This corporate crime continues on our agriculture. More than 25,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last few years because of the burden of the debts due to costly seeds and pesticides," she said.
"Corporate criminals like Dow (which now owns the Union Carbide), Monsanto, Coke and Pepsi are not just toxifying our bodies but our land, water and minds as well," said the activist.
Several visitors expressed surprise over what appeared to be a general apathy.
"Have the people forgotten the tragedy and if yes why?" asked US-based Italian journalist and writer Giuseppe Lugato.
Said Dr Sunilam, a legislator from Madhya Pradesh: "People are losing their sensitivity. Market culture has invaded the minds of the people."
"People think that whatever happened has happened, we should move forward," he added.
"Neither the central government nor the state government is behaving in a responsible manner towards the victims of the gas tragedy," the politico said.
--Indo-Asian News Service