aftermath effects of the Bhopal gas tragedy
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The effects of Bhopal gas tragedy can be can be summed up under two distinct heads: Number one immediate result is the tragic death toll of several thousands immediately following the accidental escape of 27 tons of the highly toxic chemical methylisocyanate (MIC) from the UCIL pesticide plant and number two far reaching result is the effect of this deadly poison still continuing to pollute the environment of this town causing untold miseries to the populace in terms of physical deformities and an endless number of deadly physical ailments.
Many remark that the lucky were the ones who embraced death after the incident while those unlucky ones that remained alive carry both the scars of the event in their hearts besides the lingering effect of the toxic chemicals that have ruined their happiness and lives for more than three decades with the effects till not subsiding. Scientists say that though the people cannot taste or smell the poison, it is but still there in the air, the water, the fishes, the animal flesh and the agricultural products that the people consume.
The lake that is only at about 500 metres from the fateful factory was used since long to dump the unfiltered effluents from the factory.
Therefore, the soil, the groundwater and the lake's water have been contaminated beyond repair with toxic chemicals including mercury, nickel and several other heavy metals. The people of the locality numbering over half a million extensively make use of this polluted water to bathe their children and feed their cattle. Thus, the result is a never ending catastrophe, while the world is just remaining a passive observer to all this injustice caused.
Following the grave incident, over 30,000 people were killed over time and above 2,00,000 were mutilated and fallen ill due to the far reaching consequences of the gas release. The Bhopal gas tragedy is described as the biggest chemical accidents in history. It was far more worse than the uncontrolled mercury waste dumping in the Minamata Japanese city. The far reaching ill effects of the incident are comparable only to those of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Comparing this incident with that of the atomic bomb dropping on the city of Hiroshima, some people in fact address it as 'Bhoposhima'.
During hot summer time, a red colour dust flies from the site and settles on the huts adjacent to the abandoned facility. While it rains, the contaminants get mixed up and run over the streets, mix with the waters and enter the bodies of cattle and humans. No concrete steps have been taken so far to keep the toxins away from the reach of humans and animals. Until the divine mercy descends on this place to rectify the grave mistakes committed, there seems to be no salvation to this environment and populace.