In the early hours of Moday, Dec 3,1984, a toxic cloud of methyl isocyanate (MIC)gas enveloped the hundreds of shanties and huts surrounding a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. Later, as the deadly cloud slowly drifted in the cool night air through streets in surrounding sections, sleeping residents awoke, coughing, choking and rubbing painfully stinging eyes.

It is difficult to imagine how a greater tragedy could occur to a peacetime population than the deadly gas leak in Bhopal on the night of December 2-3, 1984. The survivors of the dead victims, the injured and others who suffered, or may in the future suffer due to the disaster, are entitled to compensation.

This is the chapter of the State of India's Environment: the second citizen's report 1984-85.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carried out a study to assess the status of ground water quality and soil characteristics around Bhopal gas accident site in the surroundings of Union Carbide of India Ltd. (UCIL), Bhopal. The CPCB study confirms presence of heavy metals, pesticides and some of the volatile organic compounds in the soil samples and the groundwater.