Bhopal Gas Tragedy: Lingering Suffering, Unmet Justice, and Ongoing Environmental Catastrophe

The Horrifying Night of the Gas Leak

“The gas affected us in a way like our bodies were set on fire from the inside. We were sitting at the bus station when another family approached us, asking where we wanted to go. We said, ‘Chhola, our home.’ They informed us that the situation in Chhola was really bad and offered to take us to Hamidia Hospital,” recalls Champa Devi Shukla in a frail voice.

When she arrived at the Hamidia hospital, Champa Devi saw the most harrowing scene of her life unfolding right in front of her eyes. “All those who were sick and fainting were simply tossed into the pile of dead bodies. In fact, dead bodies were piled like grain sacks,” she says, pausing. Years of narrating the same story have left her weary of the repetition, bringing back memories that weigh heavily on her.

A few minutes after midnight on December 2, 1984, a storage tank at the Union Carbide chemical plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, began leaking a highly toxic and reactive gas called methyl isocyanate (MIC), which has no antidote. A staggering 27 tonnes of MIC blanketed the entire city, still in its night’s rest. Despite the plant having six safety systems intended to detect such a leak, none were functional that night. This led to one of the biggest industrial disasters in history, later known as the ‘Bhopal Gas Tragedy.’

A New York Times investigation found that at 11:30 on December 2, when employees first detected an MIC leak, a supervisor, thinking it was a water leak, postponed addressing it until the next tea break. However, in the next few hours, the reaction taking place in a storage tank escalated uncontrollably. Workers noted that the causes of leaks were rarely investigated, and often, without thorough examination, were simply disregarded.

Survival But At What Cost

At the age of 72, Champa Devi, alongside another survivor, Rasheeda Bee, runs an NGO called the ‘Chingari Trust.’ The organisation is dedicated to helping congenitally disabled children born into families affected by the gas leak and the subsequent water contamination. In 2004, they were awarded the Goldman Environmental Award for activism on behalf of thousands of survivors. The prize money was used to establish the trust.

By 1994, more than 25,000 people had died due to exposure. Over 1,50,000 individuals, including those not even born at that time, are suffering from the effects of the leak and subsequent contamination, such as respiratory diseases, reproductive health problems, cancer, among others.

The catastrophe not only resulted in deaths but also stampedes. People running through the streets failed to comprehend what was happening around them. The rush of the crowd tore apart several families, separating children from their parents, leaving them with more than physical pain. Champa Devi, too, lost two of her sons to the frenzy of the crowd, who were only able to return home several days later.

She says, “We used to live about 50 meters away from the factory. Around midnight, after the gas leaked, people started running. We also ran and soon reached the bus station. I had my three sons, two daughters, and husband with me. There wasn’t even a place to walk because of the crowd. Two of my sons, ten and eight years old, got lost in the crowd. The lungs of my elder son were damaged. He used to vomit blood, and was in so much pain. In 1992, when he could not stand it anymore, he died by suicide after he swallowed poison.”

In 1996, Champa Devi’s younger son also died due to medical complications arising from the exposure. In 1997, her husband passed away. In 2013, her only surviving son, who constantly vomited blood, also died. Among her two daughters, one became paralysed six months after the gas leak, and the other developed problems in her bones. They stay with Devi because their in-laws refuse to support their medical treatment.

Rasheeda Bee, who has lost five members of her family to different types of cancers in the past 30 years, said that the lucky ones were those “who died that night.” Those who escaped, the survivors, are the “unlucky ones.”

Another survivor, requesting anonymity, recalls, “I was 7 years old when the gas leak happened. We were surrounded by smoke. My eyes were burning. It felt as if my face had been put near fire. I was coughing the whole time. I could feel the pain in my lungs because of coughing so much.My family and I went to Hamidia Hospital, which was the nearest hospital at that time. There was no medical help sent to our area. The elderly suffered the most, they had to frequently visit the hospital.”

The Aftermath Of The Bhopal Gas Tragedy

While Union Carbide discontinued operations at its Bhopal plant following the disaster, it failed to clean up the industrial site, leaving it to deteriorate over time. Consequently, the plant still releases various toxic chemicals and heavy metals, severely contaminating local aquifers.

“People from around 44 slums are drinking polluted water, and this number keeps on increasing. While pipelines have been provided in some areas, a huge number of people still depend on tankers for clean water,” said Balkrishna Namdeo, the founder of Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha. Namdeo is also a survivor.

He added that, “There is still MIC stored in one of the tanks in Union Carbide. It has not been disposed of until now. Nothing has been done to dispose of it all. People are still living near it.”

Accountability Or Its Lack, Thereof

While Union Carbide discontinued operations at its Bhopal plant following the disaster, it failed to clean up the industrial site, leaving it to deteriorate over time. Consequently, the plant still releases various toxic chemicals and heavy metals, severely contaminating local aquifers.

“People from around 44 slums are drinking polluted water, and this number keeps on increasing. While pipelines have been provided in some areas, a huge number of people still depend on tankers for clean water,” said Balkrishna Namdeo, the founder of Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pension Bhogi Sangharsh Morcha. Namdeo is also a survivor.

He added that, “There is still MIC stored in one of the tanks in Union Carbide. It has not been disposed of until now. Nothing has been done to dispose of it all. People are still living near it.”

For 13 years, the US-based multinational chemical giant Dow denied any responsibility toward the victims and survivors of Bhopal. It was the majority owner of the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) at the time of the leak. In 2001, Dow acquired UCC.

In 1989, Union Carbide, in a partial out-of-court settlement with the Indian government, agreed to pay $470 million in compensation to the victims of the disaster.

“The Supreme Court mentioned that the settlement made with Union Carbide was not right. The government was responsible for the settlement, and they settled for some 750 crores, rather than 6,000 crores. Victims were betrayed in a way by the government. Some people received Rs 10,000, and some received Rs 25,000,” Namdeo said

He further said that the compensation, which they received after 5 years, was merely for namesake. The amount was not enough to cover the losses that the families faced.

In the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, survivors like Champa Devi and Rasheeda Bee bear witness to the suffering. Despite the harrowing experiences narrated repeatedly, the survivors press on. While legal battles persist, industrial negligence continues, leaving water sources contaminated and survivors grappling with health issues. The inadequate compensation and lack of accountability underscore the ongoing struggle for justice, making it imperative to address the lingering consequences of this catastrophic event.