Bhopal Disaster Verdicts - 8 Convicted - 20,000 died 23 years ago

[C. Flower]

http://www.bloombergutv.com/news/latest-business-news-india/52981/bhopal-verdict--8-accused-guilty.html


Eight people have been found guilty of causing death by negligence.

The US Union Carbide chemicals factory in India that leached out toxic gases is still there.

Around 3,000 people died on the night of the leak and a further 20,000 approximately died of after effects.

Sentencing is later today.

Seven of the convicted were Indian executives. The Chairman of the Company, Anderson, was visiting the factory at the time of the disaster and refused to stand trial in India.
The maximum punishment is 2 years in prison, as the charges were downgraded from culpable homicide.

[Andrew49]

http://www.bloombergutv.com/news/latest-business-news-india/52981/bhopal-verdict--8-accused-guilty.html


Eight people have been found guilty of causing death by negligence.

The US Union Carbide chemicals factory in India that leached out toxic gases is still there.

Around 3,000 people died on the night of the leak and a further 20,000 approximately died of after effects.

Sentencing is later today.

Seven of the convicted were Indian executives. The Chairman of the Company, Anderson, was visiting the factory at the time of the disaster and refused to stand trial in India.
The maximum punishment is 2 years in prison, as the charges were downgraded from culpable homicide.

And not likely that 'maximum' sentences will be passed here. When people talk of a 'race to the bottom' THIS disaster should be a warning.

[Lapsedmethodist]

The site remains almost intact, full of rusting vessels and pipework. The ground hasn't been detoxified and the rains leech the toxins into the groundwater. Neither the company - not Union Carbide anymore - nor the Indian Government have done a damn thing.

[Andrew49]

Campaign groups working for survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster welcomed today's (Wednesday Sept 1) decision by India's Supreme Court to look into handing harsher sentences to seven men convicted over the tragedy.
"We are delighted, and the possibility of the Indian accused going to jail for 10 years is much more real now," said Satinath Sarangi from the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, an umbrella group for five organisations for victims.
"It's a great step in righting many of the wrongs that have been committed by the Supreme Court."
Bhopal Surviving Victims Delighted (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/indias-bhopal-victims-delighted-over-union-carbide-execs-sentence-review/story-e6frfkui-1225912979727)

[edor]

Good to see. Not nearly as serious as the BP oil leak though!

[TotalMayhem]

Not nearly as serious as the BP oil leak though!

Tell me you're kidding!

Quite remarkable how effective consumer boycotts can be. I remember back then, nobody in their right mind would buy the then popular Ucar (Union Carbide) batteries anymore, eventually they had to sell off their consumer battery branch to the Energizer crowd.