Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) was a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation, a global chemical company headquartered in the United States. UCIL was incorporated in 1934 and was one of the oldest chemical companies in India. It operated a plant in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, which produced pesticides and other chemicals.
On the night of December 2, 1984, a catastrophic gas leak occurred at the UCIL plant in Bhopal. The gas, called methyl isocyanate (MIC), was used in the production of pesticides and was highly toxic. The leak resulted in the release of a large amount of MIC into the air, which spread over a wide area and affected thousands of people living near the plant.
The exact cause of the gas leak is still not fully understood, but it is believed to have been caused by a failure in the safety systems at the plant. The disaster is considered one of the worst industrial accidents in history, and it had a devastating impact on the people of Bhopal.
The immediate effects of the gas leak included severe respiratory problems, eye irritation, and vomiting. Many people died within the first few days of the disaster, and many more suffered long-term health effects. The number of fatalities and injuries caused by the disaster is still a matter of debate, with estimates ranging from 3,000 to 25,000 deaths and over 500,000 injuries.
The aftermath of the disaster was marked by a lack of effective response from the Indian government and UCIL. There was a delay in providing medical treatment and compensation to the victims, and many people were left to fend for themselves. The disaster also had significant environmental consequences, as the MIC gas contaminated the soil and water in the area, affecting the local ecosystem.
In the years following the disaster, there were numerous legal proceedings related to the incident. Union Carbide Corporation was charged with criminal negligence and other offenses, and the company's chairman, Warren Anderson, was declared an absconder by the Indian courts. Anderson, who was never extradited to India, died in 2014 without facing trial. UCIL was eventually sold to McLeod Russel India Limited, a tea company, in 1992.
The Bhopal disaster had a lasting impact on the people of Bhopal and on the global chemical industry. It highlighted the importance of safety measures in the handling of hazardous chemicals and the need for effective emergency response plans. The disaster also led to increased scrutiny of the environmental and social impacts of industrial operations, and it helped to raise awareness of the need for greater corporate responsibility.
