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Gas Leak Destroys Indian Town

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By NANDINI BANDYOPADHYAY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 25, 2008

"Animal's People," by Indra Sinha (Simon & Schuster, $25)

Indra Sinha's latest novel, "Animal's People," is based on a real tragedy that affected the lives of thousands in the small town of Khaufpur, India, in the mid-1980s. The first couple of lines jolt us into this world of naked reality, where the helplessness of the characters and the hopelessness of the situation hold us captive in an irrevocable vise.

This complex world, inhabited by Animal, the 19-year-old protagonist, and his friends and enemies provides the backdrop of this novel. It is the story of this small town where the catastrophic gas leak by a multinational company has wreaked havoc and forever changed lives. Thousands were killed and maimed. And, even after 19 years, the people of Khaufpur are still fighting a losing battle for justice.

The tale is told by Animal, who got his name because he walks on all fours because his spine has been twisted beyond repair because of the gas leak. He hesitantly begins talking about the plight of his townspeople after an Australian journalist leaves his tape recorder with him.

Animal reminds us of a picaro, a street child growing up without much help who has learned to survive by his wits. He gets involved with Zafar and Nisha, who represent Khaufpur's survivors against the Kampani, the company that caused the leak.

Through Animal's scathing observations, readers are offered details of the gas leak's aftermath in Khaufpur. He also provides us with a disturbing scenario of how little compensation was given to the victims of this terrible tragedy. The main subject of the story, though, details the unending battle between the big corporation, with enough money to prolong justice, and the plight of the poor and sick.

The appearance of Elli Barber, an American doctor who opens a free clinic, is initially met with distrust and disapproval as the townspeople were led to believe she was sent by the Kampani to take care of their dirty work.

Even though they needed medical help, they kept boycotting her. The characters of this novel are fearful. Some worry of a second leak and some of losing the legal fight. But they relentlessly keep on fighting with their limited means and rejoice in their negligible wins.

The first-person narrative helps readers connect with this precocious teenager and his innermost thoughts and feelings. His duality and inner conflict, his uncanny perception of people, his love for Ma Franci or his affection for Aliya and his lust for Nisha make him seem like a real person, not a character in a book.
Indra Sinha has been actively involved with the Indian gas leak tragedy for the last few years, and in the novel he has exposed his love and frustration for the people whose lives have been altered with so little compensation.

His book is brutally honest, and he unflinchingly uncovers the raw wound that has been masked for so long.

Nandini Bandyopadhyay of Tampa is a freelance writer.

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