after 40 years bhopal gas tragedyThe toxic waste finally leaves the city in 12 trucks. Around 9.05 pm, 337 tonnes of toxic waste was found union carbide The Bhopal factory finally left on Wednesday and is expected to reach Pithampura Industrial Area. The waste was transported in spill-free trucks, but this toxic waste and toxic gas still impacts people today.

What happened on 2 and 3 December 1984?

Between 2 and 3 December in 1984, around midnight, a massive leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC), a toxic chemical, occurred from the Union Carbide pesticide plant, killing thousands of people and maiming thousands more, 4 decades later. Even after this many people died. , impressed.

According to a study conducted by R Dhara in 1992, gas leakage caused chronic inflammatory damage to the eyes and lungs, which was also the main cause of morbidity. Reproductive health problems were also reported, such as an increase in spontaneous abortions and psychological problems.

The spill was called the world’s worst industrial disaster. About 40 tons of poisonous methyl isocyanate gas was released into the air and more than 3,000 people died.

who are still affected

According to surveys, the toxic waste that was lying there till yesterday contains 6 persistent organic pollutants, which are banned by the United Nations due to their highly toxic effects on the environment and human health.

According to Sambhavna Trust data, even after 3 decades, the mortality rate of gas-affected victims is still 28% higher than average. Survivors are twice as likely to die from cancer, lung diseases and tuberculosis. They are three times more likely to die from kidney disease and 63% more likely to develop diseases. Data also showed that 25% of survivors exposed to the gas had less active thyroids and may last longer. health effects,

The eruption also had adverse effects on women, infants and led to high rates of infertility, stillbirths, miscarriages, early menopause and irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Guardian Many women were reported to have left their husbands because they believed “they were not capable of fulfilling the family duties expected of them”.

More than 1,000 children are registered at Chingari Bal Kendra, set up for children born with disabilities due to the gas tragedy. Many of these children were affected by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disability and severe learning difficulties.

A study by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) found that 9% of babies born between 2016-17 still had birth defects. These babies were born to mothers who were exposed to the diseases. Guardian reports that “the study was later discredited by the ICMR, which ordered it not to be published or disclosed.”

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Last year, in September, survivors of the tragedy also visited the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and shared their stories. Survivors included two women who were children at the time of the gas leak, Farhat Jahan and Bati Bai Rajak. He shared that the disaster is still leaving its impact on the new generation. A 2023 study published in the journal BMJ One also revealed that even 4 decades after the tragedy, future generations continue to suffer from disability and cancer. The study also observed a decline in male births a year after the tragedy, affecting about a 100 km radius around Bhopal.

Other health conditions include respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal, ophthalmic, and endocrine issues. Its effects resulted in a 4-fold increase in miscarriages and an increased risk of stillbirth. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego also said that reproductive health could have effects on future generations that can still be seen today. Gordon McCord of the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego and author of the study said male fetuses are more susceptible to adverse shocks during pregnancy, including smog, disease, natural disasters and stressful events. This news was reported in media outlets practical,

Studies also found that the risk of cancer increased eight times among men born within 100 km of Bhopal in 1985.

Another study titled Health Effects of Toxic Gas Leak from the Union Carbide Methyl Isocyanate Plant in Bhopal, analyzing survivors from 1985 to 1994, noted genetic risk of pregnancy outcome in women exposed to toxic gas Was. The abortion rate immediately after the tragedy was 523 per 1000. The study also found that infants were born with congenital malformations.

What next?

Bhopal gas leak The tragedy paved the way for a safer workplace and gave rise to several laws aimed at protecting survivors, their rights, and also holding companies accountable for damages caused. However, despite this, many survivors still live with chronic pain, illness, and scarred memories of the tragedy.

As far as cleanup is concerned, the disposal process will be incineration within 3 months. Director Swatantra Kumar Singh told PTI, “The smoke coming out of the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters so that the surrounding air is not polluted. Once it is confirmed that there is no trace of toxic elements left, then The ashes will be covered with one.” To ensure that it does not come in contact with soil and water in any way, it was covered with a two-layer membrane and buried.”

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