Bhopal Gas Disaster: A Major Environmental Oversight, Says Vice President
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Synopsis
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar labels the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy a major environmental oversight, highlighting that the lessons from the incident remain unlearned even after four decades.
Key Takeaways
- 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy remains a crucial lesson.
- Environmental negligence continues to affect generations.
- NGT plays a vital role in raising awareness.
- The importance of a robust regulatory framework.
- Need to break the cycle of environmental justice delays.
New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Sunday described the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster as a major environmental oversight, expressing his disappointment that the lessons from this tragedy remain unlearned.
"The lessons of the Bhopal gas tragedy are still not absorbed... The Union Carbide leak of 1984... It was a significant environmental failure. Even after 40 years, families continue to suffer... genetic issues and groundwater pollution," he stated during his speech at the closing session of the National Conference on Environment-2025, hosted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) here.
Commending NGT Chairperson, Justice Prakash Shrivastava (retd), the Vice President remarked: "If I recall correctly, it was in 2015 that Justice Shrivastava, then a judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, addressed the issue of compensation for the victims."
"Three decades later, I reflect on how Justice Shrivastava tackled a matter concerning the welfare of the victims. Just consider how dire the absence of awareness was. We lacked an institution like the NGT," he noted.
"We didn’t have a regulatory framework capable of addressing such issues. Had there been a regulatory system of the current standard back then, the outcome would have been vastly different. Esteemed audience, there is a rising concern that environmental justice often follows a troubling pattern of 4Ds - delay, deny, dispose, dissolve."
"This cycle must be disrupted. I am pleased to see that the NGT is promoting awareness on all fronts. I am confident that interventions to the NGT process will be minimal," he said.
Highlighting that the NGT is an expert authority, the Vice President affirmed: "I am not questioning anyone's authority or power, but when expert organizations operate and can tap into the knowledge of true specialists, obstructing their actions only postpones environmental protection."
"It is reassuring to see that the National Green Tribunal is transitioning from delay to decisiveness, from denial to accountability, from mere disposal to genuine restoration, and from dissolution to sustainable resolution... and is increasingly gaining respect from the public, institutions, businesses, and workers."
