New Delhi: Beneficiaries and staff of the Sambhavna Trust Clinic today celebrated the success of their peaceful campaign for the re-registration of the trust under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). This morning, a notification on the Home Ministry portal confirmed the approval of the trust’s re-registration, sparking celebrations among hundreds of survivors of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster and staff members.
The clinic, which has provided free specialised medical care to over 37,000 survivors, had shut down operations on December 31, 2024, after years of financial strain caused by delays in FCRA re-registration. The announcement has brought relief to the survivors and staff as the clinic is set to resume operations on Monday, January 6, and will once again be able to receive donations from supporters worldwide.
Established in 1996 with contributions from thousands of global donors, the Sambhavna Trust Clinic is the only facility in Bhopal offering long-term, compassionate care to survivors of the Union Carbide gas leak. Public hospitals and government clinics in the city have struggled with dilapidated conditions, inadequate facilities and a severe shortage of staff, leaving Sambhavna as an irreplaceable lifeline for victims of the disaster.
FCRA challenges since 2019
The clinic’s financial difficulties began in October 2019 when its FCRA registration was abruptly canceled, and its bank account frozen by the Home Ministry. The Trust was prohibited from reapplying for FCRA registration for three years and fined Rs 18 lakh. Officials cited the failure to submit an annual report for 2017–18 by March 31, 2019, as the reason for the cancellation.
However, the Trust contended that technical issues with the Home Ministry’s portal had prevented the report’s submission, providing evidence including screenshots and nearly two dozen emails to ministry officials. Despite this, the complaints were ignored, leaving the Trust with no choice but to pay the fine and wait for the mandated three-year period to reapply.
The Trust filed its re-registration application on February 2, 2023. While the portal promised a decision within three months, the application remained “under process” for nearly two years, even as 67% of similar cases were resolved during this time.
Also read: Bhopal Gas Disaster Survivors Protest Imminent Closure of Sambhavna Clinic Due to Fund Crunch
Leaders of the Union Carbide Poison Victims Healthcare Rights Front, which spearheaded the struggle for timely FCRA re-registration, expressed gratitude for the support of survivors and staff who campaigned tirelessly to secure this outcome.
