Bhopal Disaster (dec 2, 1984 – dec 3, 1984)

Description:

In 1984, the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, was exposed to the toxic gas methyl isocyanate, causing over 500,000 injuries. The disaster was considered the world's worst industrial disaster, with estimates ranging from 2,259 to 8,000 deaths within two weeks. The government of Madhya Pradesh paid compensation to the families of the victims and 574,366 injured ones in 2008. The factory, Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), was majority-owned by the United States' Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), with Indian government-controlled banks and the Indian public holding a 49.1% stake. In 1989, UCC paid $470 million to settle litigation related to the disaster. In 1994, UCC sold its stake to Eveready Industries India Limited (EIIL), which merged with McLeod Russel (India) Ltd. Eveready ended clean-up on the site in 1998 and turned over control to the state government of Madhya Pradesh. Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001. Civil and criminal cases against UCC and Warren Anderson were dismissed and redirected to Indian courts between 1986 and 2012. In 2010, seven Indian nationals, including former UCIL chairman Keshub Mahindra, were convicted of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years' imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each.

Added to timeline:

Date:

Images: