The Bhopal Gas tragedy is the worst air pollution episode ever witnessed in India. It happened on December 3, 1984 in Bhopal.
The Union Carbide factory is located in Bhopal, a town in Madhya Pradesh. The fateful incident happened due to the leakage of lethal gas called methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas from three storage tanks of Union Carbide factory, a Multinational Corporation. MIC is an intermediate which is used in the manufacture of pesticides. Methyl isocyanate (MIC) is a deadly poisonous gas. In the accident, nearly 36 tonnes of poisonous MIC gas released into the air of Bhopal. MIC gas causes burning sensation in the eyes, removes oxygen from the lungs resulting in breathing trouble and chest tightness, and also cyanide generation in the body, which ultimately turn fatal and leads to death.
Bhopal gas tragedy caused the single biggest air pollution tragedy which, according to official sources, claimed 2500 lives, whereas non-governmental sources put the figure much higher. According to the figure released by the government around 17,000 people had been rendered permanent disabled and another 30,000 partially handicapped. Those who suffered mini disability number about 1,50,000.
The Bhopal gas tragedy polluted drinking water, soils, tank and pond water and adversely affected foetus, newly born babies, pregnant woman, young and old people alike. It killed thousands of animals and innumerable microorganisms.
The tragedy is an example of one of the deadliest disaster caused by human negligence in the maintenance of deadly gas such as MIC gas.