Echoes of Disaster: Bhopal's Lasting Impact

A former scientist recounts the harrowing memories of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the world's worst industrial disaster. Miscommunication and panic marked the fateful day of December 3, 1984. Survivors, plagued by congenital disorders, continue to suffer four decades later, while unresolved issues linger over hazardous waste disposal.

The Bhopal gas tragedy, a somber mark in history, continues to resonate with those who lived through it. A former scientist, preferring anonymity, recalls the chaos and misinformation that shrouded December 3, 1984, as he awaited his bus at Arera Colony, unaware of the looming disaster.

Relying on hearsay and scattered news sources due to the absence of digital communication tools, the scientist learned of the leak from a passerby and later witnessed the confusion at Union Carbide's research center, eventually informed it was closed for the day.

Today, survivors like Sharda Yadav and Abdul Saeed Khan live with disabilities linked to genetic mutations caused by the tragedy. Despite a Rs 126 crore government fund for cleanup, 337 tonnes of hazardous waste remain, echoing the ominous past of that tragic night.

(With inputs from agencies.)