0 Bhopal : The Worst Industrial Disaster Of The Century Takes Place In INDIA WHY?

DAY	3 December 1984.
TIME	@Night 1:39 am (According To National Geographic Channel).
LOCATION	Bhopal (Capital), Madhya Pradesh (Largest State), INDIA.
DISASTER	15000- Fifteen Thousand people Died.
RESPONSIBLE	Union Carbide Corporation – Now The Dow Chemical Company

On 3 Dec 1984, At night 1:39 am a gas tank exploded at the Union Carbide pesticides plant in Bhopal. The lethal methyl isocyanate gas killed nearly 3000 people and at least 15,000 died later from related causes. The leak remains the world's worst industrial disaster.

WHY INDIA ?

Responsible - Union Carbide Corporation

The Report

About Union Carbide Corporation

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

Before The Disaster
In the beginning of the 20th century, UCC was born of a merger of four US companies producing batteries and arc lamps for street lighting and headlamps for cars. By the second half of the 20th century, UCC had 130 subsidiaries in 40 countries, approximately 500 production sites and 120,000 employees...

Now After Disaster
Union Carbide Corporation is a chemical and polymers company with over 2,400 employees. The company possesses some of the industry's most advanced process and catalyst technologies, and operates some of the most cost-efficient, large-scale production facilities in the world.

Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some of these materials are high-volume commodities, while others are specialty products meeting the needs of smaller market niches. The end-uses served include paints and coatings, packaging, wire and cable, household products, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, textiles, agriculture and oil and gas.

The hallmark of Union Carbide's leadership in the chemical industry is a sustained tradition of technological innovation. In 1920 our researchers developed an economical way to make ethylene from natural gas, giving birth to the modern petrochemicals industry. A significant day in Union Carbide’s recent history was August 4, 1999, when it was announced that Union Carbide would become a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company ("TDCC") as part of a transaction valued at $11.6 billion. This transaction closed on February 6, 2001. Since Union Carbide's acquisition by TDCC, Union Carbide sells most of the products it manufactures to TDCC and is an important part of the Dow family of companies.

Dow Chemicals, which bought Union Carbide in 2001, denies it purchased any liability for the disaster when it bought the company. Dow insists it is not responsible for the cleanup of the plant and site, which still contains thousands of tons of toxic chemicals and sits on land owned by the Madhya Pradesh state government

What Happened To Bhopal That Night

In the early morning hours of December 3, 1984, a poisonous grey cloud (forty tons of toxic gases) from Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL's) pesticide plant at Bhopal spread throughout the city. Water carrying catalytic material had entered Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) storage tank No. 610. What followed was a nightmare.

The killer gas spread through the city, There is no alarm sounded a warning, no precaution plains are prepared for any type of accidents that time. When victims arrived at hospitals breathless and blind, doctors did not know how to treat them, as UCIL had not provided emergency information.

The Evil Union Carbide India Limited had not provided any emergency information on MIC.

Than the next morning come The Pathetic environment of Bhopal was clear, Dead bodies of humans and animals blocked the streets, Even leaves of the trees turned black, the smell of burning chilli peppers is presence all over the air its every where.

Estimates suggested that as many as 10,000 may have died immediately and 30,000 to 50,000 were too ill to ever return to their jobs.

The Cause Behind

The pesticide factory was built in the midst of densely populated settlements. UCIL chose to store and produce MIC, one of the most deadly chemicals (permitted exposure levels in USA and Britain are 0.02 parts per million), in an area where nearly 120,000 people lived. WHY

Even The MIC plant was not designed to handle a runaway reaction. When the uncontrolled reaction started, MIC was flowing through the scrubber at more than 200 times its designed capacity. Why MIC in the tank was filled to 87% of its capacity while the maximum permissible was 50%.



MIC was not stored at zero degrees centigrade as prescribed and the refrigeration and cooling systems had been shut down five months before the disaster, as part of UCC's global economy drive.

The indicators in the MIC tank were defective.

The health of plant before disaster is not well as there are lots of death and injury to many. Since 1980

In December 1981, plant operator Mohammed Ashraf was killed by a phosgene gas leak. And Two other workers also were injured.

The Main Reason

On the night of December 2, 1984, during routine maintenance operations at the MIC plant, at about 9.30 p.m., a large quantity of water entered storage tank no. 610 containing over 40 tons of MIC. This triggered off a reaction, resulting in a tremendous increase of temperature and pressure in the tank...

Thus The Disaster takes place

The Un responsible Behavior of Union Carbide Corporation and the government of Madhya Pradesh and the government of India Created The Worst Industrial Disaster Of The Century.

Government And UCIL That Time:

UCIL employees, and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster. In June 2010, seven ex-employees, including the former UCIL chairman, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each, the maximum punishment allowed by law. An eighth former employee was also convicted, but died before judgment was passed.

That time the Chief Minister of Madhya pradesh is Arjun Singh . He died on 4 March 2011 due to a heart Attack.

Following the accident, the Government of India filed a compensation lawsuit against the UCC for an estimated US$3 billion. However, UCC felt that the Government of India was to blame for the disaster. In December 1986, UCC filed a countersuit against the Government of India and the State of Madhya Pradesh...

The Settlements Between Govt. of India And UCIL.

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.

That is was our Indian government done for the innocent victims of Bhopal

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.

The Negligence of Govt. And UCIL Still Continues After The The Worst Industrial Disaster Of The Century.

After the incident, no one under the age of 18 was registered. The number of children exposed to the gases was at least 200,000. The Immediate relief was decided two days after the tragedy. Relief measures commenced in 1985 when food was distributed for a short period and ration cards were distributed. Each claimant was to be categorized by a doctor. In court, the claimants were expected to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that death or injury in each case was attributable to exposure. In 1992, 44 percent of the claimants still had to be medically examined.




The victims await justice even as the main accused of the disaster Warren Anderson walks free.

The Supreme Court May 11 turned down a demand by India’s top investigating agency to re-open the Bhopal gas tragedy case and hand down stricter punishments to those convicted of negligence.
The five judges dismissed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s petition that had called for the guilty parties to be tried on a more serious.

Legal Action Taken Against Union Carbide Corporation

The United States and Indian governments, local Bhopal authorities, and the disaster victims started immediately after the Disaster.

.On 14 December 1984, the Chairman and CEO of Union Carbide, Warren Anderson, addressed the US Congress, stressing the company's "commitment to safety" and promising to ensure that a similar incident "cannot happen again". However, the Indian Government passed the Bhopal Gas Leak Act in March 1985, allowing the Government of India to act as the legal representative for victims of the disaster.

March 1986 saw Union Carbide propose a settlement figure, endorsed by plaintiffs' US attorneys, of $350 million that would, according to the company, "generate a fund for Bhopal victims of between $500–600 million over 20 years". In May, litigation was transferred from the US to Indian courts by US District Court Judge. Following an appeal of this decision, the US Court of Appeals affirmed the transfer, judging, in January 1987, that UCIL was a "separate entity, owned, managed and operated exclusively by Indian citizens in India". The judge in the US granted UCC's forum request, thus moving the case to India. This meant that, under US federal law, the company had to submit to Indian jurisdiction.

UCC Chairman and CEO Warren Anderson was arrested and released on bail by the Madhya Pradesh Police in Bhopal on December 7, 1984. The arrest, which took place at the airport, ensured Anderson would meet no harm by the Bhopal community. Anderson was taken to UCC's house after which 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.

On December 3, 2004, the twentieth anniversary of the disaster, a man claiming to be a Dow representative named Jude Finisterra was interviewed on BBC World News. He claimed that the company had agreed to clean up the site and compensate those harmed in the incident, by liquidating Union Carbide for $12 billion USD.



The Disasters Continues
It is estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people have permanent injuries. Reported symptoms are eye problems, respiratory difficulties, immune and neurological disorders, cardiac failure secondary to lung injury, female reproductive difficulties and birth defects among children born to affected women. The Indian Government and UCC deny permanent injuries were caused by MIC or the other gases.

the poison still lingers. Mick Brown travelled to India to meet the victims of the world’s worst industrial accident who have not given up the fight for compensation, justice and their lives.

Latest On Bhopal Gas Disaster

A US court says it could order Dow Chemicals to clean soil and ground water in the abandoned factory site if the Indian government provides a no objection certificate. The Indian government forwards the certificate to the United States.

The US rejects India’s request for extradition of Anderson saying the request does not “meet requirements of certain provisions” of the bilateral extradition treaty.

India’s Supreme Court orders the Central Bank to pay out more than 15 billion rupees, part of the original $ 470 million received as compensation kept in the account since 1992.

Bhopal gas victims protest the failure of the government to pay victim’s compensation.

India’s Supreme Court sets deadline of November 15 to pay out the rest of $ 470 million paid by Union Carbide as compensation

All eight accused, including the then Chairman of Union Carbide Keshub Mahindra, in the Bhopal Gas disaster case convicted by a court.

Main Links of Disasters


Warren M. Anderson (born 1921) is a former chairman and chief executive officer of Union Carbide. He held these posts during the Bhopal Disaster that took place in a plant belonging to an Indian subsidiary, Union Carbide India, Limited, in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.




Arjun Singh ( 5 November 1930 – 4 March 2011) was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress party. The chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh during the time of disaster.

Arjun Singh Blamed That Anderson arrived in Bhopal on December 7. Along with other executives of Carbide, he was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He was arrested, then granted bail, and flown out of Bhopal on the chief minister's official plane. by BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad.



Rajeev Gandhi - (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was the 6th Prime Minister of India (1984–1989). He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.

On Bhopal Gas Disaster - Prime Minister during that time

It is publicly documented that the Indian government had guaranteed Anderson that no action would be taken against him when he arrived in India to assess the damage; and that Rajiv Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister, cannot be excused from the decisions and acts that saw Anderson leaving India, never to return.

However, in an interview to NDTV, Gordon Streeb, who was at the time a senior US diplomat in Delhi, claims that Anderson had been promised safe passage by India's Foreign Secretary, and that when Anderson was placed under house arrest, the Ministry of External Affairs intervened to have him released, and to fly him back to Delhi.

WHY INDIA QUESTIONS?

When Bhopal Victims get Proper Justice?
Why Foreign Companies Neglect Security, and Other Precautions in India?

Why govt. Of India Did not Taken any strong Action Over UCC ?
How Did Anderson Easily Accused From India

WHY INDIA WHY 

The Video Over Bhopal The Worst Industrial Disaster Of The Century. By BBC WORLD.

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