BHOPAL – DARK NIGHT (1984)CITY OF TEARS

GAS LEAK THAT LEFT A SCARE ON BHOPAL

INTRODUCTION

Occurrence: 3rd December 1984.Place of occurrence: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.Company: Union Carbide Corporation.Chemical: Methyl Isocyanate (27 tons)

THE CONTINUING DISASTERThe Bhopal Disaster which is commonly referred to as Bhopal Gas Tragedy was a gas leak incident in India,

considered one of the world’s worst industrial catastrophes.

It occurred on the night of December 2-3,1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited, a pesticide plant in Bhopal,

Madhya Pradesh , India.

A leak of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals from the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds and

thousands of people.

CAUSES

According to one theory: Water leaked into tank from

valves while workers were cleaning the clogged pipe which is 400 feet above it.

According to theory of UCC: Water was directly introduced

into tank intentionally by a worker via a missing pressure gauge .

It resulted in exothermic reaction and finally to a explosion.

Contribution to

Negligence

UCIL didn’t maintained safety rules...

• A pipe leaked? Don't replace it.• MIC workers needed more training.

They could do with less.• The MIC tank alarms had not worked

for four years.• The flare tower and the vent gas

scrubber had been out of service for five months before the disaster.

• To reduce energy costs, the refrigeration system was idle. The MIC was kept at 20 degrees Celsius, not the 4.5 degrees advised by the manual.

Safety System

Installed

Vent Gas Scrubber - used caustic soda to neutralize toxic gas exhaust from MIC plant and storage tanks before release through vent stack or flare

Flare - burnt toxic gasses to neutralize them

Refrigeration System – Refrigeration unit with capacity of 30 ton was installed to keep MIC at temperatures of 0-5 degrees C

Firewater Spray Pipes - to control escaping gases and cool over-heated equipments

Safety valve - this valve was placed between MIC storage tanks and MIC holding tank in SEVIN production area

Extra tank – Tank E610 and E611 were for normal use , and E619 for emergency

PROTESTS

Effects on

Human Health

• Respiratory Disorders – Irritation to the lungs, causing coughing and/or shortness of breathing. Higher exposure caused build up of fluids (pulmonary edema). Caused Asthma.

• Cancer Hazard – Caused mutation (genetic changes). It caused cancer.

• Reproductive Hazard – Association between exposure to Methyl Isocyanate and miscarriages. It may damage the growing foetus. May also affect fertility in men and women.

• Traces of many toxins were found in the Brest Milk of mothers and were intern transmitted to the recipient babies.

Support of Government to Culprits :-

Indian government closed plant to outsiders and failed in making the data public.The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) were forbidden to publish their data on health effects until after 1994The Indian Government and UCC deny permanent injuries were caused by MIC UCIL paid a token of $470 million even though asked a total compensation of $3.3billion.But the government said nothingThe government sent safely Mr. Anderson the CEO of UCIL at the time of massacre, to US Civil and criminal cases are still pending in United States District Court, Manhattan and the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC, UCIL employees, and Warren Anderson

Bhopal gas tragedy: The industrial disaster that affected 5,20,000 people in last 32

years Bhopal is observing 32nd anniversary of gas leak tragedy on

Saturday as on the intervening night of December 2 and 3 in 1984, several hundred people were killed and scores of people were maimed for life when the Methyl Isocyanate gas was leaked from the pesticide plant of Union Carbide.

Even after 32 years, the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy are facing problems like proper medical facilities, better living conditions and employment. Toxic waste lying in the defunct Union Carbide is yet to be disposed off. Non Government Organisations working among gas victims are organizing different functions including meetings and protest rallies to mark the 32nd anniversary of gas leak tragedy.

THANK YOU