Bhopal Disaster: Where is India Heading?

Map of Bhopal

1984 – This was the year when the disastrous Bhopal Gas Tragedy hit the lands of Bhopal, to silently spread its deadly wings and turn the entire city into a gas chamber. On December 2-3, the worst industrial disaster ever, took place owing to leakage of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas from the pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The plant was then the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), an US based company. Soon after the leakage, the poisonous gas engulfed the whole city into itself.

Several other factors that were identified as causes of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy were use of dangerous pesticide and manufacturing methods, large-scale storage of MIC, plant located in close proximity to the populated area, underdeveloped safety devices, and use of manual operations. Management insufficiency was also present like shortage of skilled men, lack of skilled operators, lessening of safety management, unsatisfactory maintenance and many more.

Almost half a million of the people were affected by this dangerous leakage. Over 15000 deaths were estimated by various government and non-government bodies. Thousands of kids died while many others became permanently disabled. About 70% of the children and adults were affected by severe respiratory diseases and several others had affected eyesight, stomach pains, vomiting tendency, cough and suffocation. Various parts of the body were badly affected and people started suffering from different diseases, neurological disorders, lung injury, cardiac failure, reproductive problems, etc. Pregnant ladies suffered from miscarriages while other gave birth to deformed or malformed babies. The disaster also saw the death of about 2,000 animals. There was acute food shortage.

25 years have already passed after the night of death and terror that took place in the beautiful city of Bhopal and that which silently and slowly made its way to the houses of the sleeping people. Along with numerous deaths almost 5.7 lakh people went through bodily damage thereby making the disaster at Bhopal, one of the worst catastrophes ever. Even after so many years of its happening, many people still continue to bear the affects of the Bhopal Disaster. An approximate of 6,000 gas-affected people everyday visits the hospitals in Bhopal.

Following the disastrous Bhopal Gas Tragedy, there was an immediate outcry claiming the relief of the victims and punishment for those responsible. The pesticide plant was asked to compensate and provide medical treatments. However, the entire matter soon got entangled into various legal controversies. Thus started, the painful, long fight for justice, compensation, rehabilitation and medical treatments etc, which went till quarter of a century.

In 1989, February, the Supreme Court of India announced a compensation of Rs 713 crore by union Carbide, for the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Against this, the Government decided to drop all the criminal charges against the plant. However, the court again decided to reopen the cases in the year 1991, following the shock, resentment and anger from the people. Only two compensation installments of Rs 25000 each were given to the injured, in the years 1994 and 2004.

Let us have a look at the many dreadful consequences of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy:

• Medical personnel were not prepared for such heavy casualties
• Hospitals and doctors were not capable of offering proper medical treatments
• Environment was badly damaged with animal carcasses in various places
• Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act was passed by the Government of India, whereby the government had the right to represent the victims outside or within the country
• Following a settlement between UCC and the India Government, the UCC decided to pay a sum of US$470 million against the complete settlement of its criminal and civil liabilities
• Instant relief and assistance was decided 2 days after the misfortune
• The job of offering relief and rehabilitation to the victimized at the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, was taken over by the chief Minister. In 1985, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation department was created
• Relief measures started in the year 1985 when ration cards were provided and food was circulated for a very short period of time
• Rs 200 per month was the widow pension that was being provided
• 1990 onwards, an interim relief of Rs 200 was being paid to those families who were born before the catastrophe.
• The final compensatory amount was fixed at Rs 25,000 (US$ 830) and for the death claims, the average amount was a sum of Rs 62,000
• Compensations did not reach properly, the concerned people
• Immediately after the disaster, the health and medical system became heavily overloaded. Within several weeks, hospitals, mobile units and clinics were set up by the state government in the affected areas.
• Scheme was undertaken for improving the water supply
• In 2008 December, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh decided to incinerate the toxic wastes at Ankleshwar in the state of Gujarat
• On 7^th of June, 2010, 8 executives of Union Carbide India Limited including Keshub Mahindra, the former chairman were found guilty of criminal negligence and were thus sentenced to jail for two years
• On 24^th June, 2010, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India permitted an aid package of Rs1265cr and this amount will be financed by the tax payers of India through the Government of India.
• On 19^th August, 2010 19, Michael Froman, the US deputy National Security Advisor, said that the Bhopal Tragedy could have an alarming effect on the US investment.
• On 20^th August, 2010, the United States State Department announced that the Bhopal tragedy case is being closed legally

The Bhopal Gas Tragedy will always be remembered as the ugliest industrial catastrophe that ever hit mankind. The aftermaths of the tragedy in Bhopal were massive and many pertinent questions were left unanswered on the part of the Government. The state took immense time to recover from the disaster. Several non-governmental bodies extended support and help whereby it became comparatively easier for the state government to come out of this extremely dreadful situation.

It is believed by many people, that the political system of India is such that the welfare of the common man is hardly taken into consideration in most cases and more interest is shown to perpetuate a particular dynastic rule, with the strength of richness and power. So when it comes to doing anything about India and its people and present the country as a world power, it remains a back burner with this kind of political scenario. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy can be cited as an example for this. Anderson, the chief of Union Carbide India Limited, though arrested after the happening, was soon released by the Government of India. To add to this, Anderson was further helped in getting back to his country, by providing him with a government plane. Again, the maximum punishment that was given by the trial court to the accused Indians was a mere 2 years imprisonment.

Most unfortunate has been the fact that the compensatory amount provided to the victims of the Bhopal disaster is merely about $470 million, which comes to only $200 per people, in India. Is this, at all sufficient- that is the moot question.

So many years have passed after the disaster, yet it continues to affect the people of the region, till date. Huge remains of toxic chemicals still continue to pollute the water, soil, vegetables, breast milk, thereby affecting thousands of residents in Bhopal. With this tragic Bhopal Disaster to follow us always, its time that we all think “where is India heading” and accept it as individual responsibility to act accordingly.