Thirty-five years after the world's worst industrial disaster, survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy continue to suffer, with no cleanup or justice in sight. The Union Carbide factory explosion on 2 December 1984 released 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas, killing over 3,000 instantly and affecting hundreds of thousands. The blackened ruins of the plant still stand, a grim reminder of the catastrophe.
Residents like Omwati Yadav, 67, who lives metres from the factory, express despair: 'It would be better if there was another gas leak which could kill us all.' Her husband Panna Lal Yadav, 70, a former factory worker, shows black marks on his body, saying the poison is still emerging. An estimated 574,000 people were poisoned that night, and over 20,000 have died since from related conditions.
No one from Union Carbide has been tried for negligence, and no cleanup of chemical waste has been conducted. Campaign groups report that toxic waste, containing six persistent organic pollutants banned by the UN, has spread to 42 areas in Bhopal. State officials dispute the harm, but the energy department's chief secretary told the Guardian that a toxicity assessment is planned.
The Guardian reveals that the US government has obstructed justice to protect Union Carbide and its owner Dow Chemicals. New data from the Sambhavna Trust shows mortality rates for gas-exposed victims remain 28% higher than average, with increased risks of cancer, lung disease, and kidney ailments. Women suffer disproportionately, with high rates of infertility and stillbirths, often leading to abandonment by husbands.
The disaster's legacy extends to second and third generations, with ongoing health impacts. The Indian government has refused offers from the UN and Germany to test and clean up the waste, leaving victims trapped in a cycle of suffering.
