Bhopal gas tragedy: 3 decades after, the curse is still on

Bhopal, Dec 2: Three decades have passed since a gas tragedy had hit this city but yet the new generation has not got rid of the curse of the toxic leak of Methyl Isocyanate from the Union Carbide India Limited factory on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. [Why Union Carbide's ex-CEO Warren Anderson is Bhopal's tormentor]

Official estimates said only 3,700 died, several were permanently crippled

Over 5,00,000 people were exposed to the gas and other chemicals. While official estimates said 3,787 people died in the disaster, other source claimed the figure could be as high as 16,000. Over 5.5 lakh people were injured, including many who were permanently crippled.

The disaster caused a massive uproar. While the Indian government and activists said a slack industrial management caused the tragedy, the Union Carbide Corporation said it was an act of sabotage.

Warren Anderson was flown out of the country

Civil and criminal cases were filed in the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving the UCC and Warren Anderson, the chief executive officer of the UCC at the time of the disaster. Anderson was arrested and released on bail by the Madhya Pradesh Police on December 7. He was later flown out on a government plane. Anderson's passage was allegedly cleared by the then state administration of MP.

In 1987, the Indian government summoned Anderson and other executives with homicide charges but the UCC said the company is not under India's jurisdiction.

Anderson died unnoticed

Anderson recently passed away at a nursing home in Vero Beach in Florida in the US. [Warren Anderson passes away unnoticed]

Oneindia News