December 2020 marks the 36th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy that took place on the night of December 2-3 in 1984. An accidental leak in the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, released methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas. The toxic gas drifted over the densely populated neighbourhoods around the plant. It killed thousands of people immediately & created panic as tens of thousands of others attempted to flee Bhopal. The final death toll was estimated to be between 15000-20000. Later, as many as five lakh people were exposed to the gas. More than 3700 people died due to the disaster. Around half a million people suffered respiratory problems, eye irritation or blindness & other maladies resulting from exposure to the toxic gas. Till date, it is considered to be one of the world’s deadliest industrial disasters. Investigations later revealed that substandard operating & safety procedures at the understaffed plant had led to the catastrophe.
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