Click to play videoBhopal: On December 3, 2009, it will be 25 years since tragedy struck Bhopal following the leak of the deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant.
The tragic incident of 1984 is still haunting the residents of Bhopal with groundwater, three kilometers away from the factory, are contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals.
The Bhopal gas tragedy is said to be the biggest environment disaster ever.
A pond near the Union Carbide factory tells the story even 25 years after the incident.
It is spread over an area of around 20 acres and over 10,000 metric tones of hazardous waste is estimated to be dumped in it.
In 1984, the plant accidentally released MIC gas, exposing more than 5,00,000 people to the deadly gas and other chemicals.
Now a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment has concluded that groundwater has been contaminated as far has three km from the factory site and contains almost 40 times more pesticides than Indian standards
"The samples collected up to three kms were found contaminated. Whether the entire circumference is contaminated or not we can not say," CSE Director Sunita Narain said.
The health implications of the contamination are many as toxic gases have leached into the soil and with slow exposure can affect the liver and kidney as well as cause bone damage.
"This has happened because of contaminated water. Earlier there was nothing wrong," said a victim of the gas tragedy, Sakoral Bi.
But Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Babulal Gaur has refuted CSE's claims.
"There is no contamination in ground water," said Gaur.
Twenty-five years is a long time and the fight for justice is on.
Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, the main accused, against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued is living a retired life in USA and in Bhopal it is turning out to be a tragedy that is continuing in time without any steps being taken to protect the affected people.
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