‘According to the Indian Council for Medical Research, over 520,000 people were harmed in the disaster. At least 3,000 people died that night. Some estimates suggest as many as 8,000 people died in the first two weeks, and another 8,000 have died of diseases like cancer and respiratory problems in the years since.
Activists and survivors are still struggling for justice for what’s considered history’s worst industrial disaster. Under a 1989 settlement, survivors received only about $500 each, and Union Carbide was absolved of responsibility, despite evidence that it repeatedly cut corners on safety.
In 1999, Dow Chemical purchased Union Carbide, hampering the quest for justice. Now, activists say the U.S. Department of Justice is protecting Dow from being forced to appear before India’s courts on manslaughter charges.’
