In early January of this year, I attended the International Perspectives in Water and the Environment (IPWE) Conference in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. IPWE is an institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), an accredited engineering organization that I was involved with throughout college. An international network of civil and environmental engineers, ASCE leads the industry in regulatory research and codes, as well as technical scholarship and knowledge-sharing through its 9 institutes.
The conference took place a little over a month after the 40-year anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, when methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaks at a pesticide plant resulted in 3000 Bhopalis losing their lives overnight–a much larger immediate figure if you include livestock, plant life, and the critical microorganisms that sustain our ecosystems. The Gas Tragedy was caused by operational environmental health and safety failures by Union Carbide, an Indian subsidiary of a U.S-owned multinational corporation, and amplified by negligent corporate accountability after the fact. Carbide later sold its India subsidiary to Dow Chemical Company to absolve themselves of blame.
To this day, thousands more have suffered the impacts of the flammable and corrosive acute immunotoxin. It is now estimated that more than 22,000 people have lost their lives due to the chemical release. MIC has been researched by the U.S. National Institute of Health to have severe reproductive impacts including stillbirths and fetotoxicity, structural tracheal and bronchial damage due to inhalation, and acute neuromuscular damage, to name a few findings. Since the 1984 disaster, the toxic material has remained in the abandoned Bhopal factory, polluting groundwater in the surrounding areas. Only until earlier this January, has a fraction of the hazardous material been scheduled for removal to Pithampur, 230 kilometers from Bhopal.
Being in Bhopal at first felt strange. I was incredibly excited, as it was my first solo trip within the country, a promising professional experience, and my Bhopali friend (and BIF Fellow!) Aarushi had gushed about the city. But I was also very aware of my positionality, and the legacy of my country within the city, as well as the fight for environmental justice not yet actuated. And perhaps not possible. How do we reconcile a failure so colossal, the destruction of whole communities across generations? As engineers, we are in service to humanity– designing and implementing infrastructure to meet community needs and priorities. This service, conducted effectively, requires us to learn alongside one another, across disciplines and borders, to best meet community needs and never repeat mistakes of the past.
As a delegate at the IPWE, I was positively overwhelmed by the synergy of environmental perspectives, up-and-coming innovations, and diversity present. Outside the hall, there were vendors showcasing the latest pipe innovations for water infrastructure and related applications, and inside, exciting workshops and research presentations ran simultaneously. These spanned from studies on environmental phenomena like glacial lake outburst floods, to ASCE-led workshops on using Nature-based Solutions as urban stormwater infrastructure, and even real case studies of urban flooding along Mumbai’s Mithi River. And I also got to meet some inspiring people, like Professor Chittaranjan Ray who is working at the nexus of water and agriculture, and Dr. Nikita Patil, a startup founder bioengineering yeast to address today’s wastewater treatment challenges.
It was also interesting that the organizers highlighted local water infrastructure work in Madhya Pradesh, like the Mohanpura Kundalia Irrigation Project. Though I missed the technical tour the day prior to the conference, speakers and physical exhibitions spotlighted the project’s accomplishments. The Mohanpura Kundalia Irrigation Project is technically impressive as a large-scale micro-irrigation project that was planned prioritizing community engagement. Anurag Jain, Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Secretary described the bottom-up approach used to involve village water users from the project onset during initial work assessments. Chief Secretary Jain’s perspectives were a refreshing conclusion to the conference. After days of back-to-back technical programming, case studies, targeted workshops, and networking chai breaks, it was a grounding experience to hear what successful local involvement can look like in water infrastructure. A reminder of who we design for, and the importance of centering them in our work.
Though it was my first time attending a professional conference solo, I felt incredibly comfortable with the professionals and academics I met, all of whom were eager to share their experiences and perspectives with me. I was heartened to witness and partake in connections across sectors and countries, as knowledge was shared, mentorship was bestowed, and frustrations were aired. And to make it even better, I made some friends!
Outside of conference programming, I took every opportunity to explore the city. Bhopal was enchanting. I met warm people, traveled with some of the sweetest rickshaw drivers to date, and ate some very delicious meals. In my free evenings, I explored the city’s architecture– visiting the Old City, local museums, and Jehan Numa Palace, named after Nawab Sultan Jahan Begum (who also constructed Kushabhau Thakre Hall, where the conference was held!). The history of Bhopal felt so current through its curved, intricate architecture, which donned even the most inconspicuous street corners. This magic was enhanced by my Bhopali friends, from rickshaw drivers to those I met at Kushabhau Thakre Hall, who like Aarushi, poured with love for their city. Some of the highlights of my explorations include Manohar Dairy, where I had the most delicious paneer chole kulche (I even went back there with my suitcase, for one more meal just before my flight out), captivating sculptures at the State Museum of Madhya Pradesh, and dinner with my new friends at Jehan Numa Retreat.
Thank you, Bhopal, for your resilience and for your people. I can’t imagine a better location for the IPWE conference, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have represented VIKSAT and AIF. I hope to be back someday!
