Five main causes for the Bhopal gas tragedy?

Let me start with a reference to one of the worst industrial disasters on recorded world history, it happened in India at midnight of 3rd December, 1984, at Bhopal. 

In simple words a faulty tank containing a poisonous gas leaked from a factory and killed many. Official records of government say 3, 787 confirmed instant death. It can't be trusted, related reports say more than 10000 died with in 72 hours. The toll did not stop there, now it has been said it has taken 25,000 more with gas related diseases. The industrial gas methyl isocyanate leaked from the pesticide plant of Union Carbide exposed more than 500,000 people of that urban area. 

Now the people are still struggling as toxic chemicals abandoned at the Union Carbide plant continue to pollute the ground water. It is reported that the factory site has not been cleaned up. More than 100,000 people continue to suffer from health problems. The governments or the company did not provide rehabilitation - both medical care and measures to address the socio-economic effects of the leak. 

Many of those affected are still waiting for adequate compensation. The more interesting story is that the full facts of the leak and its impact have never been properly investigated. The culprits have ever been held to account for what happened there and the cases are still pending in the courts of India as well as in US. 

What we can assume today, after these 25 years, the people of Bhopal will never be able to get their just rights because of Shameless Rajiv Gandhi and Congress Party. Present Indian governments and the Indian society can only offer them the promises, more promises and no accountability, ever accumulating poison and no clean water / air, and to pass this legacy of slow death to the new and incoming generations. 

What we are going to call this "The Human Right Tragedy of the Century" or "the Mockery of the Human Rights."

Bhopal gas tragedy: Remembering what was left behind

Just like we go to Hiroshima, Chernobyl and Ground Zero in New York to remember and pray for victims," said Babulal Gaur in 2009, "so many people from around the world want to visit the Bhopal Union Carbide factory to learn about the disaster."

Gaur was then minister of relief and rehabilitation for victims of the gas leak of December 3, 1984, and he was justifying a decision to open the factory site to tourists in the disaster's 25th anniversary year.

The announcement triggered an uproar and the government did a quick U-turn.

Rama Lakshmi, a museologist and reporter for a United States newspaper, recounts the protesters' argument, "There are pending issues. First address the issue of toxic materials, underground water pollution -- address these issues and then think about a museum."

But the incident raised a long-term question, as Lakshmi says. "Will they [that is, the government via an official museum] sanitise the story? The story didn't just begin on December 3 and end on December 4. It is continuing."

Image: A security guard walks in front of the Union Carbide Corp, now part of Dow Chemical Co, pesticide plant in Bhopal

Photographs: Reinhard Krause/Reuters

Bhopal UCIL Gas Disaster "A Cause of Negligence"

The Bhopal Gas disaster was a gas leak incindent occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. It was one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes. Methyl Isocyanate and other chemical was leaked from the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds of thousands of people. Around 3000 people died within a week and 8000 more have been died from gas-related disease. According to an affidavit submitted by the government in 2006, there was 558,125 injuries including 38,478 temporary partial and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabled.

 



UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) USA. Indian government controlled banks and Indian public held 49.1 percent share. In 1994, Union Carbide sold UCIL to Eveready Industries India Limited after the Supreme Court allowed UCC to sell its 50.9 percent share. The Bhopal plant was later sold to McLeod Russel (India) Limited. Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001.

UCC Chairman and CEO Warren Anderson was arrested from the airport by the Madhya Pradesh Police in Bhopal on December 7, 1984, ensured Anderson would meet no harm by Bhopal community. Anderson
was taken to the UCC's house, he was released six hours later on $2,100 bail and flown out on a government plane. In 1987, the Indian Government summoned Anderson, eight other executives and two company affiliates with homicide charges to appear in Indian court. Union Carbide balked, saying the company is not under Indian jurisdiction. In June 2010, seven former employers of the UCIL, all Indian nationals and many in their 70s, were convicted of causing death by negligence and each sentenced to two years imprisonment and fined Rs. 1 Lakh. All were release on bail shortly after the verdict. The name of those convicted are:
1- Kushub Mahindra, NOn-exicutive chairman of UCIL
2- V. P. Gokhle, Managing Director
3- Kishore Kamdar, Vice-President
4- J. Mukund, Works Manager
5- S. P. Chawdhury, Production Manager
6- K. V. Shetty, Plant Superintendent
7- S. I. Qureshi, Production Assistant
Civil and criminal cases are still pending in the United States District Court, Manhattan and the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC, UCIL employees, and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster.

The Government of India passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act that gave the government rights to represent all victims in or outside India. UCC offered US $350 million, the insurance sum. The Government of India claimed US$ 3.3 billion from UCC. In 1989, a settlement was reached under which UCC agreed to pay US$470 million (the insurance sum, plus interest) in a full and final settlement of its civil and criminal liability. When UCC wanted to sell its shares in UCIL, it was directed by the Supreme Court to finance
a 500-bed hospital for the medical care of the survivors. Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) was inaugurated in 1998. It was obliged to give free care for survivors for eight years.
 
" Read and at least think about those people who are suffering for their survival due to this men made disaster and all the effort done by Indian Government and other organisation are sufficient enough to make them feel happy" SHAFIQ ANSARI