A case study on Bhopal gas tragedy.
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The world's worst industrial tragedy took place in Bhopal at midnight on 2 December, 1984. A highly poisonous gas, Methyl isocyanate, started leaking from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal.
Within a few days, about 10,000 people died and hundreds of thousands were maimed. Most of the people affected by the tragedy hailed from poor, working-class families. The tragedy crippled, disabled and incapacitated thousands of people. About 50,000 people are too sick to work even today. Thousands of survivors developed severe respiratory disorders, eye problems and lost eyesight forever. The tragedy had the worst effect on children. Hundreds of them developed physical, psychological and mental abnormalities.
The disaster was waiting to happen since long. The Union Carbide had deliberately compromised on essential safety measures to cut costs. Between 1980-1984, the work crew for the MIC plant was cut from 12 to 6 workers. The period of safety training for workers was brought down from 6 months to 15 days! Moreover, instead of having computerized warning and monitoring systems, the UC plant in Bhopal relied on manual gauges and human senses to detect gas leaks.
In the legal battle, the government represented the victims in a civil case against the Union Carbide. Many people believed the government should have also filed a criminal case. It filed a $3 billion compensation case in 1985, but received a compensation of $470 million in 1989. In spite of appeal against the package by survivors in the Supreme court, it ruled that the settlement amount was fair enough. After the tragedy, the Union carbide stopped its operations and left without cleaning the factory and the environment. Tonnes of toxic chemicals, pesticides and insecticides are still lying in and around the factory. The present owner of the factory, Dow Chemical, has refused to clean up the factory and the area around it. Tubewells, handpumps and wells around the factory contain contaminated water giving birth to waterborne diseases.
The compensation package was not properly reimbursed. Even 30 years later, people are fighting for justice - for compensation, for health care and medical facilities, for jobs, for safe drinking water, for proper rehabilitation, for ending misery and trauma - all because profit was more important than human lives for the Union Carbide management. The UC chairman, Anderson, still remains to be prosecuted and tried by a court for criminal negligence.
Within a few days, about 10,000 people died and hundreds of thousands were maimed. Most of the people affected by the tragedy hailed from poor, working-class families. The tragedy crippled, disabled and incapacitated thousands of people. About 50,000 people are too sick to work even today. Thousands of survivors developed severe respiratory disorders, eye problems and lost eyesight forever. The tragedy had the worst effect on children. Hundreds of them developed physical, psychological and mental abnormalities.
The disaster was waiting to happen since long. The Union Carbide had deliberately compromised on essential safety measures to cut costs. Between 1980-1984, the work crew for the MIC plant was cut from 12 to 6 workers. The period of safety training for workers was brought down from 6 months to 15 days! Moreover, instead of having computerized warning and monitoring systems, the UC plant in Bhopal relied on manual gauges and human senses to detect gas leaks.
In the legal battle, the government represented the victims in a civil case against the Union Carbide. Many people believed the government should have also filed a criminal case. It filed a $3 billion compensation case in 1985, but received a compensation of $470 million in 1989. In spite of appeal against the package by survivors in the Supreme court, it ruled that the settlement amount was fair enough. After the tragedy, the Union carbide stopped its operations and left without cleaning the factory and the environment. Tonnes of toxic chemicals, pesticides and insecticides are still lying in and around the factory. The present owner of the factory, Dow Chemical, has refused to clean up the factory and the area around it. Tubewells, handpumps and wells around the factory contain contaminated water giving birth to waterborne diseases.
The compensation package was not properly reimbursed. Even 30 years later, people are fighting for justice - for compensation, for health care and medical facilities, for jobs, for safe drinking water, for proper rehabilitation, for ending misery and trauma - all because profit was more important than human lives for the Union Carbide management. The UC chairman, Anderson, still remains to be prosecuted and tried by a court for criminal negligence.
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