'Bhopal Essay\r'

'This boldness was created by the International Dimensions of Ethics procreation in Science and Engineering (IDEESE) proposal at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with support from the national Science Foundation infra tolerate number 0734887. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recomm closing curtainations evince in this material be those of the designer(s) and do non necessarily reflect the views of the subject Science Foundation. More discipline much or less the IDEESE and copies of its modules can be ground at http://www. mass. edu/sts/ethics. © 2008 IDEESE Project. Bhopal artillery Disaster Chronology The sentenceline below documents the incidents star(p) up to and resulting from the 1984 Bhopal conceptiont Disaster. Use the light upon below to quickly find instruction on organization measures relating to specific organizations, Indian national legislation, casualties, and economic conditions and profitability. A timeline documenting prove le gislation can be prime at the remnant of the main(prenominal) chronology.\r\n lynchpin br avouch = central (India), stir (Madhya Pradesh), or metropolis (Bhopal) brass measures relating specific whollyy to UCC, UCIL, Bhopal ground, or immediate neighborhood of set discolour = superior cosmopolitan India national legislation applicable to conduct of business red = casualty-producing bring incidents violet = economic conditions relevant to Bhopal set up profitability ___________________________________________________________________________ UCIL= inwardness Carbide (India) particular(a) UCC= summation Carbide hatful 956 Indian fan tan adopts Companies exemplify of 1956 which requires affiliates of foreign companies to register as smash companies to a lower place Indian law and imposes limits on foreign investment and expositicipation in all told Indian companies. Union Carbide suppresss its role of ownership in its Indian footslogger ( thusly called subjec t bea Carbon Comp some(prenominal) (India) Limited from deoxycytidine monophosphate% to 60% in con displace with in the rawfangled Indian law by registering as an Indian bon ton and market placeing sh ars to Indian citizens.\r\nAll still matchless or both UCIL board members, all UCIL executives, and all unconstipated or seasonal employees be Indian nationals. 1966 Indian market for mark foods and pesticides is put asideing as organisation adopts a swerve of policies, including efforts to increase yields and reduce post-harvest losses of crops to pests, to baffle India self-sufficient in food. India had depended heavily on give awayside food aid in earlier part of the decade, and organisation wished to end this. The domestic fruit of pesticides in 1966 is 14,000 deliberate tonnes, well short of what the giving medication wants to allow for to farther to the highest degreemers.\r\nUnion Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) establishes a sore sylvan Products Divi sion to carry a delegacy advantage of increase Indian market for fertilizers and pesticides. Initial act involves nonwithstanding local anaesthetic formulation (diluting â€Å" technological squ atomic number 18 slay make” concentrate to make products for measuringter to users). UCIL applies for license to carry out the building block employment dish up in India. 2 of 19 1968 regime of India approves UCIL juts to build fertilizer/pesticide formulation workings in Bhopal. carry of Madhya Pradesh leases land in the Kali display sphere of Bhopal for the kit and boodle to UCIL on a 99- division lease in an field regulated for industrial use.\r\nThe ara around whole kit and caboodle is comparatively unpopulated at time though in that respect argon both lakes close and the main Bhopal railroad station was nigh 2 miles from the whole shebang site. Total existence of metropolis of Bhopal is estimated to be slightly 300,000 (the 1961 count put it a t 102,000 scarcely enormous in-migration from surrounding countryside had occurred). Adoption of India’s 4th quintette- course plan, to run 1969-74. Plan goals stimulate on reducing â€Å"unwhole cuddle dependency on foreign agencies,” particularly foreign corporations.\r\nThe Plan outlines goals of requiring foreign investors to enter into joint airures earlier than establish wholly-owned subsidiaries, and reaffirms requirements to train and employ Indian nationals at all levels of mental mathematical process, to use do-in-India equipment and components whenever they are available, and to transfer technology to Indian affiliates. These requirements meant that the government was strongly inte oddmented in having chemical coiffes located within the country receive capa urban center to undertake all go from tippy material absolute with(predicate) arbitrate chemicals with final product on-the-spot(prenominal) rather than relying on deductioned inter mediates. 969 Bhopal botany dispirit goings run(a). Initial operations consisted of devising raw fertilizer and formulating (diluting to usable strengths) pesticides with US-origin â€Å"technical grade” chemical concentrates. UCIL industrial chemists develop a method of producing alpha-napthol that UCIL anticipates being able to musical outstrip up to economically competitive exertion volumes. UCIL is reconsidering its business plan as the big qualification of alpha-napthol turns out to be much challenging than it anticipated.\r\n presidential term of India begins pressing UCC and UCIL to put one across UCIL places teddy bear from formulation using US- root chemicals to effective work on in India. It makes issuing an operational license for the Bhopal lay conditional on its using domestically-made alpha-napthol. political relation of India establishes National get turned for Environmental g meansing and Coordination. 1970 1972 1973 Indian parliament a dopts Foreign Exchange Regulation make believe 1973. Among opposite(a) strong meshs on bunks of nones in and out of India it establishes a plot for government hear over Indian firms’ decisions on hiring foreigners as employees or contractors.\r\nIndian presidential term approves UCC-UCIL Design transfer compact and Technical Services symmetry under which UCC depart provide the basic transit public figure of a enough preaching undetermined of producing SEVIN (a carbaryl pesticide used on cotton and separate crops) and development for Indian floozys of kit and boodle. Design Transfer stipulation limits UCC to provision of the process fig and materials specification. Detailing the in outletion and building the coiffe are to be undertaken by Indians nationals use by or contracting with UCIL.\r\n judicature resemblingwise uses powers to license technology imports to call for selection of suppliers of components for install to Indian firms as much as possible. 3 of 19 Engineers employed by UCIL who will be involved in establish design visit UCC Technical Center in atomic number 74 Virginia to earn around US demonstrate specifications and protrude process of adapting them to India’s conditions. 1974 Indian Parliament adopts legislation requiring that Indian companies partly owned by foreigners reduce foreigners’ ownership share. For companies with 60% foreign ownership, the new statutory maximum is 50. %. UCIL complies by the end of 1978 through sale of additional shares of ocellus offered only to Indians; these shares were held by 24,000 divers(prenominal) persons or entities, with the governing of India itself cumbering 25% of UCIL stock(a). Indian Parliament adopts piss (Pre air oution and over conduce of de file awayment) and ambiance (Prevention and Control of defilement) Acts. These establish the central government as the main standard-setter bandage divergence bring pull smoothment to s tate governments. twain Acts increase penalties for do pollution unless do non specify any emissions or ambient standards. 975 naked Master Plan for urban center of Bhopal establishes a separate district for â€Å" insecure manufacturing” in an open electron orbit 15 miles from center of town, and zone the area where UCIL’s define has been constructed for commercial and light, non-hazardous, industry only. City authorities want UCIL to run short its operations to this area. Indian judicature licenses UCIL to prepare up to 5,000 tons of carbaryl pesticides a year in Bhopal found UCIL hires Humphreys and Glasgow Consultants Private Limited, an Indian subsidiary of Londonestablish Humphreys and Glasgow, to detail the constitute design and supervise construction. 976 Madhya Pradesh Town and Country Planning wit kinifies the UCIL plant as â€Å"general industry” rather than â€Å"hazardous industry. ” This allows plant to stick to in its estab lished place rather than move to Bhopal’s new hazardous industry zone. Bhopal plant begins production of pesticides and begins $2. 5 one thousand trillion go out to expand alphanapthol production building block to accommodate Sevin production. India pass wet supply by drought; farmers charter loans from government to ride out the loss of harvests. They in like manner cut back on pesticide purchases. 1978 Bhopal plant’s new alpha-napthol social social unit’s components fail soon laterward(prenominal) startup. 2 one thousand thousand reconstruction project begun. action of pesticides compensates using alpha-napthol imported from UCC’s US plants. 31 Oct 1977 4 of 19 UCC and UCIL conciliate to call down Bhopal plant to methyl isocyanite (MIC) process to produce SEVIN be receive parent UCC regarded this process as more economical and efficient than its front way of producing it. New Bhopal MIC unit base on design of UCC’s MIC unit in make for, West Virginia. (See separate knave on alternative methods for production of SEVIN or similar carbamate pesticides. winter Progress freshen up of Bhopal project at UCC headquarters. Concerns rough re defer of building plant and reduced estimates of potential pesticide sales lead to consideration of whether Bhopal project can be scaled back. coating is to pass on as construction is besides far advanced. Welding spark ignites nearby chemicals because welder unaware of and supervisor did not catch out nearby flammables. Fire causes Rs. 6. 2 zillion ($730,000) in property damage, provided no injuries to histrions. 20 UCIL railroad engineers sent to UCC’s West Virginia MIC plant for training in plant operation and guard duty.\r\nUCC engineers sent to India for pre-startup reexamination of Bhopal plant report multiple deficiencies in natural rubber measures. They likewise advise UCIL worry of need to develop possibility plan for alerting and evacuati ng nearby population in event of major bumbleolene let out. UCIL trouble by and by reports it had developed such plans; city and state government officials contracted in 1984 that they were not aware of any such plans. UCC easterly Division brings up question of Bhopal plant at a global dodging meeting because of concern that it, like take WV plant, is too openhanded for the market.\r\n plans to export part of Bhopal plant’s production are not adopted because of potential b wishingball effects on UCC subsidiaries in other countries. UCC sends 8 US engineers and technicians to Bhopal plant to advocate with startup and early operation of MIC unit. 1980 Government loans to farmers grapple due. Farmers shift to less pricy pesticides. Many of the newer pesticides are synthetic pyrethroids that are likewise safer in Indian conditions than carbaryl types like Sevin. Indian Government upgrades National citizens committee for Environmental Planning to cabi crystallize-l evel department of Environment.\r\nBoth national and most state governments (including Madhya Pradesh) piss Pollution Control boards to inspect and enforce environmental laws. manifest Government approves UCIL act to retain 1 UCC engineer through 31 may 1981; re countersign approval through 31 may 1982 and then to 31 december 1982. 7 of the 8 UCC engineers and technicians sent from West Virginia return home. The rest engineer continues to serve as plant omnibus until June 1982, then remains as a consultant. 24 Nov 1978-79 1979 June 5 of 19 deteriorate A turn UCC engineer ag convention visits the Bhopal plant and repeats admonishings nigh ack of contingency plan. Rebuilt alpha-napthol unit started up; fails again and is fill up down. Alpha-napthol imports continue. Bhopal plant returns a modest profit for the year. National census puts City of Bhopal population at 895,815. Significant populations of recent arrivals from the countryside impart colonised in shanty tow ns near UCIL plant. 1981 June UCIL/UCC recapitulation of Bhopal plant operation shows that the variable damage of producing alphanapthol in Bopal is 4x the US cost and the variable cost of producing SEVIN in Bhopal are 3. 5x US costs.\r\nUCC and UCIL are both aware that new-formula pesticides flood tide onto market in India and other countries are likely to reduce demand for SEVIN. UCC wants UCIL to import MIC from UCC plant in West Virginia; Government of India food wastes permits because it wants the making of MIC undertaken in India. 24 declination 1 supervisor and 2 thespians exposed to phosgene relief valve during a tutelage operation; one of the players dies from effects of phosgene inhalation. UCIL charge says he was at fault for removing his burn out act; workers claim supervisors gave meagerly warnings.\r\nAccident account to UCC; UCC response plan includes additional training and some design changes. 1982 un certain(a) 10 Feb Feb UCIL notes growth of shanty towns near the Bhopal plant and asks the city to establish a â€Å"greenbelt” zone around it to prevent further shantytown expansion. City does not act. 25 workers injured when a pump seal fails and investment firmamental quantities of MIC, phosgene, and hydrochloric pane gases escape into plant. few copeed on-site; 16 sent to local hospital Workers uphold a local journa tip get into plant; he observes and writes approximately short condition of plant and wanton safety routines.\r\n local newspaper publishes the base but its warnings that a massive leak is likely are ignored. India mash Department investigates the Dec. 1981 fatal accident and recommends corrective measures. Bhopal plant is operating(a) at less than half aptitude because of weak market for its products. Local competitors making cheaper pesticides continue gaining market share. kick Either UCIL asks UCC to send engineering team to inspect plant, or UCC does on own initiative (accounts vary, usua lly consistently with author effort to show UCC was or was not in close control of plant during the post-disaster litigation). 6 of 19 2 April May 3 electricians suffer minor ruin when one drops a screwdriver into an electrical empanel and it shortcircuits. defer inspectors recommend better insulation of circuits. UCC engineers inspect Bhopal plant, issue Operational golosh Survey on conditions in plant, warn on that menstruum is real danger of a runaway reply; suggest measures to suspend danger UCIL management reports to UCC on retrace-up, state they will undertake all suggested measures, but do not act on the recommendation to increase the range of the good time piss crop-dusting system from 15 meters to 35 meters so it can r distributively the top of the MIC vent organ shriek.\r\nThe be UCIL communication on followup, date 26 June 1984, says all changes collect been made except one to the SEVIN feed armored combat vehicle, which will be completed when the needed control valve is delivered in astir(predicate) a month. summertime Jagannathan Mukund, Indian citizen trained at Institute WV plant, replaces US national rabbit warren Woomer as plant coach-and-four. UCIL has to admit failure of efforts to scale up alpha-napthol production; alpha-napthol unit fill up down as too delusive to run. Worker transfers begin. Aug mob fall 6 Oct\r\nSplash of liquid MIC at plant injures a chemical engineer UCIL applies for supplement of its Foreign Col grokation Agreement with UCC through celestial latitude 1987 so it can continue importing alpha-napthol. Indian government approves UCIL employment for transposition of Foreign Collaboration Agreement with UCC, but only to 1 Jan 1985. Leaks of MIC, hydrochloric acid, and anesthetize injure 3 workers seriously plentiful to require brief hospitalization; 15 others less affected are addicted commencement aid at plant. whatever panic in neighboring shantytown.\r\n submit inspectors note some(prenomi nal) violations of radiation pattern operating procedures and recommend measures including red tags on equipment that should not be used. Labor unions speak up to Madhya Pradesh Ministry of Labor close to conditions in plant. Also begin occasional public demonstrations. Madhya Pradesh state labor ministry inspectors inspect plant but they are mechanical engineers with limited competence to value safety of chemical plants. Labor Ministry officials do enter complaints with accosts, but these will not be taken up for some time owing to long key of unfinished suits.\r\nMadhya Pradesh minister of labor says the plant is safe and berates opposition for its worries during question time in a declination academic session of the state legislature. 31 Dec warren Woomer, the last remaining American employee, leaves Bhopal plant. 7 of 19 1983 Various cost-cutting measures undertaken. Staff morale declines through the year as layoffs and resignations take effect. Experienced workers lea ve and are replaced by less experienced workers from other units of Bhopal plant or other UCIL plants.\r\nMadhya Pradesh State Pollution Control display board requires companies to declare what they are emitting into the air. UCIL declared carbon dioxide only, not the other gasses (including phosgene and MIC) that occasionally leak. Board lacks sufficient inspectors to follow up, even after animals die from beverage wet from a stream full outside the plant polluted by fluid runoff from the plant. household. fall Dec. read/write head of National Pollution Control Board visits plant area date in Bhopal.\r\nOrders UCIL to fix flaws in effluent vaporisation pond that permit leaks onto adjacent land. UCIL complies. Proposal to salvage investment in Bhopal plant by converting part of it to produce new carbofuran pesticide and supply it to India and other markets are spurned as economically unfeasible by UCC. Jumper tubing connected surrounded by press sensation valve pass an d relief valve header on MIC ice chests to simplify maintenance. Bhopal plant manager Jagannathan Mukund accustomed UCC safety award for operating 12 months without serious incident. 1984\r\nBhopal plant operating at 1/5 capacity owing to weak demand. Losses near $4 one thousand million since 1980. Successive reductions in force-out mean only 1 supervisor and 6 workers are present on each shift in the MIC unit (company guidelines state that the MIC unit should hire 3 supervisors and 12 workers on each shift). Training of supervisors and workers has become less rigorous. April Madhya Pradesh government legalizes the shanty towns that have grown up just outside UCIL plant since 1978 by granting dwellers certificates of ownership of the land they occupy.\r\nBhopal population estimated to be close to 900,000 and the shanty towns are notably larger than they had been in 1981. UCC approves UCIL proposals to write off the alpha-napthol unit, sell rest of Bhopal plant while retaining M IC unit, reduce UCC ownership share of UCIL to 40% so UCIL can be more independent. Neither the UCC share reduction nor the plant sale had been carried out by December. May June or July Bhopal Town Planning Board lists 18 factories as â€Å"obnoxious” and and so to be monitored particularly care to the full. UCIL’s Bhopal plant was not included on the list.\r\nSept UCIL engineers inspect plant, report to UCIL top management that 1) gas scrub brush is functioning poorly, 2) there are poor communication betwixt plant production and maintenance staff, 3) workers lack instruction on what do in event of runaway respondion, 4) safety meetings are held only half as practically as specified in company rules. 8 of 19 UCC engineers survey MIC plant in Institute, West Virginia. They report concerns more or less some aspects of plant operation there and possibility of a runaway chemical reaction in the MIC retentiveness tanks (larger than the tanks installed in the Bhopal pl ant).\r\nOct UCC considers intellection of dismantling Bhopal plant and shipping equipment to brazil or Indonesia. Asks UCIL to draw up feasibleness study and cost estimates. UCIL reports back 29 Nov. Question of what to do is pressing because the plant will have no source of alpha-napthol when UCIL’s Foreign Collaboration Agreement with UCC expires on 1 Jan 1985. 7-22 Oct Remaining phosgene and methylamine stocks at Bhopal plant are used up in making a last batch of MIC. 42 tons are put into tank E610; about 20 tons into Tank E611. UCIL plan is to eliminate it a ton at a time In November and December and react it with alpha-napthol to produce SEVIN.\r\nThe storage tanks are discriminate and the MIC production unit is shut down for maintenance after the batch is finish; MIC unit production workers are delegate to other tasks. 31 Oct Curfew imposed in Bhopal after inter-communal riots sparked by news Sikh guards had assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. found activ ities curtailed for several weeks because curfew affects ability of second shift to leave work and of third to pull in for work on time are affected. MIC drawn down in short batches. Nov last week of Nov. According to later testimony of plant workers, the position of second-shift maintenance supervisor was eliminated. Dec condition of plant safety systems at start of second shift galosh System vent gas scrubber (uses caustic quinine water to contradict toxic gas bury from MIC plant and storage tanks in front fire thru vent passel or luster) flare (burns toxic gasses to neutralize them) Condition on 2 Dec 1984 on standby since MIC not in active production but could be activated by plant operators in event of need insufficient capacity to burn large volumes of escaping gas; shut down in November for rehabilitation of a corroded organ subway; MIC process vents rerouted to the vent gas scrubber while repairs proceed shut down June 1984 and coolant (Freon) drained for use e lsewhere in plant infrigidation system (keep MIC at temperatures of 0-5 degrees C (32 to 42 degrees F) where it is less reactive) firewater crop-dusting pipes (to control escaping functional but insufficient height to flip gasses, cool over-heated equipment or douse top of vent stack fires) 9 of 19 afety valve between MIC storage tanks and MIC holding tank in SEVIN production area operational; designed to hold MIC in at normal squelchs and anaesthetize it if bosom too high. thither are 2 competing versions of events on December second between 9 and 11 pm. The first is preferred by most authors who have analyse the events; the second is offered by only a few. *See note at end for more information about the literary argument. Divergent accounts of how water entered Tank E610 mutant 1: water- wash of pipes 8-9 pm insurgent-shift production overseer orders MIC plant supervisor to flush several pipes running from the phosgene system to the scrubber via the MIC storage tanks.\r\ nMIC unit workers are in charge of the flushing, but maintenance department is trustworthy for inserting the slip bind (a solid disk) into pipe above the water race opening as plant manual requires. These take 30 minutes-2 hours to install. The MIC unit workers were apparently not aware that installation is a necessitate safety procedure, and slip bind is not installed first. Temperature of MIC in tanks is between 15 and 20 degrees C . 9. 30 Water washing begins. One bleeder valve (overflow device) downstream from the flushing was impede so water did not come out as it was supposed to. It roll up in the pipes. A worker shut off the water flow but the plant supervisor ordered that the washing resume.\r\nBy then water had move past a leaking isolation valve in the lines being washed and got into the relief valve pipe 20 feet above ground. by 10. 30 pm Water has flowed from the relief valve pipe through the jumper pipe into the process pipe through valves normally unbroken ope n. Water gets Water washing proceeded as described but none of the water used for washing traveled far generous down the right pipe to enter Tank E610. Version 2: dampen 10 of 19 through an open blow-down valve that is part of the nitrogen pressurization system. It is unreadable whether the valve had been left open or had failed to fully seal when last un call forthing. Water then flows into tank E610 via a normally-open isolation valve. 10. 30-10. 45 pm Second shift goes off work; third shift comes on.\r\n washing continues after second shift worker briefs third shift worker on progress of the job. around 10. 30 pm A disgruntled worker removes a pressure gauge on a pipe leading to Tank E610 and connects a water hose to the coupler. Water enters Tank E610 Shared account of responses to detection of problems 11 pm Third shift control populate operator take notes pressure gauge connected to Tank E610 has move up from a reading of about about 2 psi at the start of the shift to 1 0 psi. This is within the normal 2-25 psi range, so arouses no concern. Control room lacks any reliable way of monitoring tank temperatutre. about 11. 30 pm Workers in area notice MIC odor, see MIC leak near the scrubber.\r\n line up MIC and dirty water coming out a branch of the relief valve pipe on the downstream side of the safety valve, away from the tank area. They set up a water spray to neutralize the leaking MIC and inform control room forcefulness of bit and their actions. They then take their regular tea break, continuing to discuss the situation and what they should do next. 3 December about 12. 15 am Control room operator notices that control room pressure indicator for Tank E610 reads 25-30 psi about 12. 30 am . Control room operator notices that needle on pressure indicator for Tank E610 is pinned to the maximum reading of 55 psi. Control room operator goes out to tank area to check gauges on tank.\r\nWhile in tank area he hears a safety valve pop, hears rumbling in tank, and feels heat emanating from it. Returns to control room to engage the gas vent scrubber. Caustic soda does not flow as it should. A becloud of gas escapes from the scrubber stack. by 12. 40 am Plant supervisor suspends operation of the MIC plant, turns on the in-plant and external toxic gas sirens. away sirens audible in nearby neighborhoods are turned off after about five minutes. Operators turn on the fire water sprayers but water cannot reach the gas cloud forming at the top of the scrubber stack. Efforts to cool Tank E610 with the refrigeration system fail because the Freon had been drained. Gas escapes for about 2 hours. 11 of 19 efore 1 am Plant supervisor realizes that tank E619, the designated spare, is not empty, so workers cannot relieve the pressure in E610 by transferring any MIC to E619. by 1 am gas smell is obvious outside the plant; nearby residents awake at the time or awakened by noise and olfaction the gas odor start fleeing in panic. 1. 30 am Bhopal p olice headman informed of leak and panic by an on-duty positionr who ran to his house; no monumental police mobilization follows. about 2. 30 am Bhopal plant external siren for warning the neighborhood is turned on again about 3 am Army engineer units with trucks are mobilized after a retired brigadier general craves help evacuating workers from his factory near the UCIL plant (but not under the strongest gas concentrations).\r\nArmy unit then expands operations to assist general populace by transporting injured to hospitals and clinics. around mobilization of city ambulances. Medical personnel hearing of situation head to hospitals and clinics. before 8 am Madhya Pradesh governor orders gag rule of plant plus arrest of plant manager and 4 other employees. good afternoon Head of India Pollution Control Board informed of accident. Efforts to learn details from Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board fail because earpiece calls cannot get through. Phone conversation with UCIL o ffice in New Delhi (also unable to get phone calls through to the plant) provides some information about possible causes. ate afternoon Indian Central Bureau of investigation takes control of plant and UCIL discharges there. CBI agents begins interviewing plant supervisors and workers; bar entry by anyone else, including other UCIL employees. Dec Many government offices and businesses in Bhopal closed; dead buried or cremated in accordance with their families’ religious traditions; initial treatment of injured proceeds 18-19 Dec on a lower floor government supervision the MIC still in storage at the UCIL is plant is alter by combining with alpha-napthol to make finished pesticides. Local population leaves town as a precaution. 1985 July 1985-98 1994 1998 Madhya Pradesh government rule ins UCIL application for renewal of operating license.\r\nPlant closed Some work on cleanup of plant site by UCIL. UCC sells its share of UCIL to McLeod Russell (India) Limited. McLeod Russe ll re tropes UCIL Eveready Industries India, Ltd. State of Madhya Pradesh takes over plant site from Eveready Industries. 12 of 19 *Note on the two versions of how water reached storage tank 610. Timelines of the append possibilities are constructed from the works of several Indian authors who collectively used interviews with plant staff, motor hotel depositions by plant staff, interviews with local residents and officials, UCIL executives and UCC technicians, and UCIL or UCC documents obtained during the post-disaster litigation.\r\nMost of the detail comes from Paul Srivastava, Bhopal: pulp of a Crisis (Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1987),and Sanjoy Hazarika, Bhopal: The Lessons of a disaster (New Delhi: Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 1987), who take different views but are careful to acknowledge areas of uncertainty. The initial expo of the water-washing explanation was provided in an Indian government report, S. Varadarajan et al. â€Å"Report on Scientific Studies in the Factor s Related to Bhopal Toxic Gas escapism (New Delhi: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dec 1985). The debase theory was developed by consulting engineers from Arthur D Little, Inc. commissioned by UCC to investigate the causes. It was publically laid out in Ashok S. Kalelkar, â€Å" investigating of Large-Magnitude Incidents: Bhopal as a Case Study,” in I. Chem. E. Symposium Series No. 110 The organisation of Chemical Engineers 1988, p 561.\r\nVersion 1 in the timeline, favored by local and international trade union fiddleatives, local activists, the Indian government, transnational environmental and consumer organizations, and most technical experts (see Chemical and Engineering news program 4 July 1988) is based on cognize water-washing activities. Proponents of version 2, favored by UCC after its investigators were able to visit the plant in early 1985, point out that the water washing occurred a good distance away from the storage tanks and there is no evidence water ran through the connections from the washing area to the storage tanks. They also point to evidence that the pressure gauge on the pipe leading into Tank 610 was notice to be missing when tank area was surveyed before 10 am on Dec 3rd and a replacement gauge was installed. The most thorough succinct of this version is Themistocles D’Silva, The Black lawsuit of Bhopal 1993 who does state clearly that he was a UCIL employee †though not at the Bhopal plant †in the 1980s. ) Even if sabotage were involved, no commentator thinks the saboteur was trying to cause a catastrophic gas leak; knowledge of safety hazards among the workers was spotty enough that very few of them understood the full effect of introducing water into the MIC storage tanks. The animosity was sharpened in the course of the exceedingly acrimonious litigation between the Government of India and UCC. UCC first raised the sabotage allegement in 1985 and repeated it in 1988 but never a roused the suspected saboteur. A worker believing he is the suspect publically challenged UCC to name the suspect and denied that he had any involvement in sabotage.\r\nUCC planned to bide until the trial before the Indian absolute coquet to do so; out-of- judicature law of closure made that unnecessary and it never publically revealed the full basis of its suspicions. In a FAQ section of its website on Bhopal (www. bhopal. com) Union Carbide’s answer to the question of if there was sabotage why hasn’t the company named anyone, it says that the name is known to Indian enforcement authorities. While a useful way to avoid backbite suits, the continuing refusal to provide a name response is interpreted as modify UCC’s claim by those who reject the sabotage theory. Notice that the contending versions of events between 9 and 11 pm on December 2nd only provide different explanations of how water got into MIC storage tank 610.\r\nEveryone who has studied the di saster suits that the injuries to neighboring residents were caused by an unneutralized cloud of leaked gas that escaped through the vent, and that the reaction producing this cloud was triggered by water contamination. though the concrete shielding of the storage tanks loco above Tank 610 (indicating that its temperature 13 of 19 got above 400 degrees F), the tank itself was found to be uncracked when inspected after remaining confine were neutralized and removed in mid-December 1984. There is no substantial disagreement about the conditions of the safety systems that night or on the responses of the supervisors and workers after the small MIC leak was observe around 11. 30.\r\nNor is there any significant disagreement about the inadequacy of contingency plans for in-plant response and evacuation of neighboring settlements, the poor communication about hazards with city and state authorities, or the insufficiency of warnings to surrounding settlements when the gas cloud formed. Descriptions of the extent and timing of action by city officials, state officials, armament units in Bhopal, and national government officials also vary very little; controversy about government response is pore on the adequacy of actions in the days, months, and geezerhood following the disaster. 14 of 19 Bhopal Gas Disaster Chronology: Ensuing Litigation 985 invalidatech UCC and Government of India investigatory teams conclude singly that runaway chemical reaction make MIC gas cloud was caused by water getting into Tank 610 Indian Parliament adopts Bhopal Disaster Relief Act making Indian government the sole legal representative for all victims of the Bhopal disaster. US federal official regulate romance consolidates all lawsuits unfinished in US about Bhopal gas leak into one case, Union of India v. Union Carbide Corporation. rest of year Victims and victim advocates complain about lack of effective relief. rest of year UCC stock declines; congeries stock value of co mpany in December put at approximately $3 million. UCC sells off assets (mainly petrochemicals and consumer product divisions) for $3. 5 billion and borrows $2. 8 billion to fend off $5. million takeover bid by GAF (General Analine and Film, another specialty chemical maker) 1986 Government of India lawyers and UCC lawyers begin discussion of an out-of-court settlement. Union Carbide proposes a settlement amount of $350 million under arrangements that it estimates will generate a fund for Bhopal victims of between $500-600 million over 20 years. Government rejects this offer as insufficient. Indian and foreign activist groups supporting victims have already publicized their own estimates contending that indemnity are at least $3 billion if loss of animals, loss of income from softness to work, loss of business in the weeks after the gas write, and think damages are also taken into account. April U. S.\r\nOccupational Safety and Health Administration proposed a $1. 4 million fin e against Union Carbide Corp, based on results of its September 1985 inspection of five of 18 plant units at Institute, West Virginia. OSHA alleges 221 violations of 55 health and safety laws, inclination 72 of the 221 as â€Å"serious” (the household for violations creating conditions in which there is substantial fortune of death or significant injury. US federal zone Court rules on a preliminary motion in Government of India v. Union Carbide Corporation; invoking assembly non conveniens doctrine it determines that trials relating to injuries suffered in the Bhopal disaster should be held in India. March May 5 of 19 Sept. Dec. Government of India proceeds against UCC in District Court in Bhopal, seeking $3 billion in total stipend for 630,000 persons in Bhopal area. Bhopal District court orders UCC to hold $3 billion in unencumbered assets as collateral while lawsuit pending. This to prevent conscious a run-down of assets, rumors of which were rife in regular army an d India at the time. UCC offers $50 million, then $80 million in compensation, amounts derived from typical Indian settlements. Amounts widely criticized, viewed as insulting by victim groups, rejected by Government of India. 1987 Jan rest of year 1988 Victim lawsuits continue in Indian courts.\r\nState of Madhya Pradesh also files criminal charges against Warren Anderson, then chief operating officer of UCC, and several UCIL executives or plant supervisors for their roles in causing the disaster. 1989 Feb Under prodding by Indian tyrannical Court, UCC and Government of India agree to a $470 million settlement of all Bhopal gas leak-related claims. self-governing Court endorses settlement, making it binding on both parties. It also grants immunity against criminal charges arising from the gas leak. The $470 million is nonrecreational to the Government of India as sole legal representative of the victims. 36 special courts established in Bhopal to deal with applications for compen sation Value of UCC stock rebounds somewhat with news of settlement.\r\nUCC CEO Robert Kennedy (replaced Anderson in 1987) completes reorganization of UCC into a holding company with 3 main divisions: chemicals and plastics, industrial products, carbon products. 1990 Oct 2 groups of victims file class action suits in Texas alleging that India failed to represent them adequately because of government agencies’ ownership of UCIL stock, and wherefore did not secure them sufficient compensation. concordant with 16 of 19 US Court of Appeals upholds US District Court legal opinion that Bhopal disaster litigation should proceed in India rather than the USA. UCC sells off last petrochemicals and consumer products divisions norms of vernacular respect for court decisions, US courts refuse to review the Indian sovereign Court’s ruling. Nov.\r\nGovernment of Madhya Pradesh submits final list of names of victims to be compensated for injuries suffered in gas leak to Indian Sup reme Court. Total deaths attributable to gas pic put at 3,828. 1991 Oct Indian Supreme Court confirms compensation settlement, issues ruling modifying certain parts of 1989 judgment. These include UCC establishment of a trust fund to support a new hospital in Bhopal to treat victims’ ongoing health problems and revoking immunities from criminal charges. District Sessions Court in Bhopal reinstates charges of â€Å"culpable manslaughter not amounting to murder” and lesser charges relating to voluntary vexation of harm against Warren Anderson and 8 UCIL executives or supervisors. 1992 Apr 1993 Mar.\r\nNY Times reports that India has paid 700 Bhopal claims; government attributes thwart to complexities of verifying the claims given chaotic record keeping at the time. Victim advocates buck on government incompetence. US Supreme Court declines to review federal court decisions in 1990 cases dismissing suits against India. UCC establishes the trust fund. Oct. 1994 Apr Nov Dec Indian Supreme Court approves UCC plans to sell its 50. 9% share of UCIL; proceeds to be given to bank Fund for hospital in Bhopal. UCC completes sale of UCIL to McLeod Russell (India) Ltd. of Calcutta for approximately $93 million UCC provides initial payment of proceeds into Trust Fund.\r\nTen-Year Impact of Bhopal Disaster on UCC year ending 31 Dec. 1984 total assets $10,518 million capital $7962 million year ending 31 Dec. 1994 $5028 million $2479 million 17 of 19 net sales net income R&D expense employees [from UCC annual reports] $9608 million $323 million $265 million 98,666 $4653 million $379 million $136 million 12,004 1999 Jan 2000 Mar Class action suit, Bano v. Union Carbide Corporation, filed in US Federal Courts by Haseena Bi and other organizations representing residents of Bhopal seeking compensation for gas-leak related injuries and for further harm from exposure to contaminants afterward under US Alien tort Claims Act.\r\nUS District Court dismisses Bano c ase UCC completed payments to Trust Fund, which now totals $100 million. Construction of hospital is complete and physicians and other staff being recruited. Aug 2001 Trust Fund-financed Bhopal anamnesis Hospital and Research Centre begins treating patients. 2004 July Indian Supreme Court orders government to release all additional settlement pecuniary resource to the victims. Indian newspapers reports after all claims were paid there was still about $327 million in the fund because of interest make while the money was in escrow pending distribution. Indian nationals file Janki Bai Sahu v. Union Carbide Corporation in US Federal District Court.\r\nSuit seeks compensation for personal injuries claimed to be result of exposure to contaminated water and indemnity work at cause UCIL plant after the gas leak. Nov 2005 Apr Indian Supreme Court grants Indian Government Welfare tutelage for Bhopal Gas Victims request for an extension of deadline on distribution of remaining funds and e xtends it to April 30, 2006. Indian newspapers report that approximately $390 million remains in the fund. US Federal District Court dismisses two of the three compensation claims raised in the Janki Bai Sahu case. Dec 18 of 19 2006 Sept Indian newspapers report that the Welfare Commission for Bhopal Gas Victims has completed paying out all claims to listed victims of initial gas leak.\r\nThe Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York upholds the dismissal of claims in Bano vs. Union Carbide Corporation. Federal District Court dismisses remaining claim in Janki Bai Sahu case. 2007 Mar A group of Indian citizens files a new class action suit, Jagarnath Sahu et al. v. Union Carbide Corporation and Warren Anderson, seeking compensation for damage to sextuplet individual properties allegedly polluted by contaminants from the Bhopal plant, as well as the remediation of property in 16 colonies [squatter settlements] neighboring the plant. Federal Courts issue a stay [suspension] of pro ceedings pending resolution of appeal in Janki Bai Sahu case as the issues in litigation are so similar. -end- Nov 19 of 19\r\n'