Amnesty International condemns 40 years of environmental racism in India’s Bhopal

On the 40th anniversary of the Bhopal gas disaster, Amnesty International condemned the ongoing “environmental racism” in India, citing decades of institutional neglect of victims and survivors. The 1984 disaster, caused by a toxic gas leak from a Union Carbide pesticide plant, killed over 22,000 people and left hundreds of thousands injured.

Amnesty criticized authorities and corporations, including Union Carbide and its current owner Dow Chemical, for failing to address the crisis and its aftermath. More than 500,000 people continue to suffer from the disaster’s long-term effects. Toxic waste remains at the abandoned factory site, polluting water and harming health across generations.

A recent Amnesty report, “Bhopal: 40 Years of Injustice,” highlighted systemic discrimination that exacerbates human rights violations, including the right to health and a sustainable environment. The organization called for urgent action, including cleanup efforts, comprehensive compensation, and holding responsible parties accountable.