What is the Bhopal disaster?
Q: What is the Bhopal disaster?
A: The Bhopal disaster was an industrial accident that occurred at a Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. On the night of 2-3 December 1984, the plant released approximately 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas which exposed more than 500,000 people to toxic gases.
Q: How many people died as a result of the accident?
A: The first official immediate death toll was 3,598 in 1989 but it is estimated that 8,000 died within two weeks and another 8,000 have since died from gas-related diseases.
Q: Who owned the factory responsible for the disaster?
A: The owner of the factory was UCIL which was majority owned by UCC with Indian Government-controlled banks and Indian public holding a 49.1 percent stake.
Q: What did UCC pay to settle litigation stemming from the disaster?
A: In 1989, UCC paid $470 million ($929 million in 2017 dollars) to settle litigation stemming from the disaster.
Q: Who purchased UCC after the disaster occurred?
A: Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001 seventeen years after the disaster had occurred.
Q: What happened to UCIL after UCC sold its stake?
A: After UCC sold its stake in UCIL it merged with McLeod Russel (India) Ltd and Eveready ended clean-up on site in 1998 when it terminated its 99 year lease and turned over control of site to state government of Madhya Pradesh.
Q: What happened to former employees involved with UCIL after conviction?
A: In June 2010 seven former employees including former UCIL chairman were convicted in Bhopal for causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and fine about $2,000 each which is maximum punishment allowed by Indian law while eighth former employee was also convicted but died before judgment passed.
