Bhopal, India | Article about Bhopal, India by The Free Dictionary Bhopal, India | Article about Bhopal, India by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Medical , Acronyms , Wikipedia . Bhopal (bō`päl), former principality, Madhya Pradesh state, central India. A region of rolling downs and thickly forested hills, it is predominantly agricultural. Its Buddhist monuments include the famous stupa (3d cent. B.C.) at Sanchi. Bhopal was founded in the early 18th cent. and was ruled from 1844 to 1926 by the begums of Bhopal, famous women leaders. Although the population was mainly Hindu, the princely family was Muslim. Bhopal became part of the state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956. The city of Bhopal (1991 pop. 1,062,771), the former capital of the principality and now the capital of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh , state (2001 provisional pop.

60,385,118), 119,010 sq mi (308,240 sq km), central India, between the Deccan and the Ganges plain. The capital is Bhopal. One of the largest states in India, Madhya Pradesh consists, from north to south, of upland zones separated by ..... Click the link for more information. , was founded in 1728. It is a trade center with manufactures of cotton cloth, jewelry, electrical goods, and chemicals. Bhopal has a very modern section and an old city, and hills and lakes give the environs much scenic beauty. The city is the seat of several institutions of higher education and a large mosque, the Taj-ul-masjid. There are many sites of historical and archaeological interest in Bhopal and nearby. In Dec., 1984, a cloud of methyl isocynate gas escaped from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal.

An estimated 3,000 to 7,000 died immediately, 15,000 to 20,000 died from the effects in the years after the disaster, and 50,000 to 100,000 suffered from serious injuries as a result of the world's worst chemical disaster. The Indian government sued on behalf of 570,000 victims and in 1989 settled for $470 million in damages and exempted company employees from criminal prosecution. The Indian judiciary rejected that exemption in 1991, and the company's Indian assets were seized (1992) after its officials failed to appear to face charges. The chairman of Union Carbide's Indian branch and seven other of its Indian employees (one deceased) were convicted of death by negligence in 2010, and later that year the Indian government sued to increase the damages paid to $1.1 billion.

Bhopal a city in central India, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state and of the former state of Bhopal: site of a poisonous gas leak from a US-owned factory, which killed over 7000 people in 1984 and was implicated in a further 15 000 deaths afterwards. Pop.: 1 433 875 (2001) 5 Long-term recovery from the Bhopal crisis 5 Long-term recovery from the Bhopal crisis Introduction On the night of 2/3 December 1984, a major accident occurred in Bhopal, India, at a pesticide plant owned by the Union Carbide Corporation (Bogard 1989). This accident triggered a long-term industrial crisis for the entire population of Bhopal, for government agencies in India, and for the Union Carbide Corporation. Industrial crises are processes of severe disruption and harm that originate in industrial activities and technological systems. They affect people, property, and the natural environment. Communities, corporations, and government agencies are sometimes restructured in the wake of these crises.1 This chapter begins with a brief description of the Bhopal crisis.

The second section discusses causes of the crisis in terms of antecedent conditions and accident-related failures. The third section describes a multipleperspectives framework for understanding crisis recovery issues. In the subsequent three sections, crisis recovery is described from the perspectives of the primary stake-holders - the community and its victims, Union Carbide Corporation, and the Government of India. The final section includes speculations about long-term recovery from crisis and examines policy implications. The Bhopal toxic gas leak crisis The Bhopal crisis was triggered by a technological accident: 45 tons (100,800 lb) of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas escaped from two underground storage tanks at a Union Carbide pesticide plant. The accident occurred between 10 p.m. (2 December) and 1.30 a.m. (3 December) when the plant was on second shift and the surrounding population was asleep in slum "hutments" that are densely packed together in this part of Bhopal (fig. 5.1). Leaked gases were trapped under a nocturnal temperature inversion in a shallow bubble that blanketed the city within five miles of the plant.

Next morning, over 2,000 people were dead and 300,000 were injured. Another 1,500 people died in subsequent months owing to injuries caused by the accident. At least 7,000 animals perished but damage to the natural environment remains largely unassessed (Prasad and Pandey 1985). Emergency services were completely overwhelmed and confusion was rampant in the affected neighbourhoods. Police instructed people to run away from the area, but many of those who did so inhaled large amounts of toxic MIC and succumbed to its effects. Residents were unaware that the simple act of covering their faces with wet cloths and lying indoors on the floor provided effective protection against the gas. That night, and in the days that followed, nearly 400,000 people fled the city in a haphazard and uncontrolled evacuation. Two weeks later, during government attempts to neutralize the plant's remaining MIC, another wave of mass flight involved 200,000 people (Shrivastava 1992; Diamond 1985; Morehouse and Subramaniam 1988).

To understand the causes of the larger crisis it is necessary to examine the antecedent conditions that set the stage for it, and the more proximate failures that directly caused the accident. Hazardous antecedent conditions and proximate failures occurred both inside Union Carbide and outside the company, in its social, economic, and political environments. Inside the plant In 1934, Union Carbide Corporation set up a subsidiary company in India, known as Union Carbide (India) Ltd. (UCIL) (table 5.1a). This company's Bhopal facility was originally designed to formulate pesticides. The procedure involved buying stable ingredients locally, mixing them, and packaging them for sale to the government for use in an anti-malaria campaign. In 1974, UCIL received a government licence to manufacture 50,000 tons of MIC-based pesticides each year; however, the market for these products was declining at the time, both because malaria was under control and because over 300 small manufacturing firms were now competing vigorously with UCIL (Dhingra 1978).

Therefore, in a measure aimed at cutting costs, UCIL decided to manufacture key ingredients in its own plant instead of buying them from suppliers. In 1981 it established a plant to make MIC - a highly toxic and unstable chemical. In the next few years the agricultural pesticides market declined further because of poor weather and meagre crops. By 1984, UCIL was ranked twenty-first in size among companies operating in India. It had revenues of Rs 2 billion (then equivalent to US$170 million). Fifty-one per cent of UCIL was owned by the parent company; remaining shares were held by 24,000 stockholders. Ten thousand people were employed in five operating divisions that manufactured batteries, carbon products, welding equipment, plastics, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and marine products. Table 5.1 (a) Chronology of events leading to the accident Inside Union Carbide a. Union Carbide (India) Ltd. b. Methyl isocyanate. c. Operational Safety Survey. The accident that is discussed here began when a large volume of water entered the MIC storage tanks and triggered a violent exothermic chain reaction.

Normally, water and MIC were kept separated, even when supply pipes were flushed with water during routine cleaning. However, on this occasion metal barriers known as slip blinds were not inserted and the cleaning water passed directly into the MIC tanks (table 5.1b). Additional water may have entered later during a mistaken effort to control the reaction by drenching it with water. The tanks' pressure systems had also been reported defective in October and November 1984. Within a few minutes of the introduction of water, temperatures and pressures in the tanks increased to the point of explosion (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions 1985). Four safety devices that were meant to keep toxic gases from escaping into the atmosphere failed to function: lack of coolant in the MIC tank refrigerator prevented it from operating properly; the vent gas scrubber could not neutralize the gases because it lacked sodium hydroxide; a pipe leading to the flare tower had been dismantled for repairs, so the flare could not be used to burn escaping gases; finally, water sprays could not be used to douse the gases because they lacked sufficient pressure to reach the height from which the gases were spewing.

As a result, 45 tons of MIC escaped from the tanks (Union Carbide Corporation 1982, 1985). Outside the plant Problems that occurred outside the plant were rooted in the historical underdevelopment of the surrounding region and its sudden industrialization after Indian independence. Bhopal was founded around 1100 A.D. near two large lakes that provided a reliable water supply for agriculture on a semi-arid plateau. Control over water in this area was a central issue that precipitated continuous battles among the Hindu kings and Moslem nawabs. Indeed, continuous feuding kept Bhopal politically unstable and economically underdeveloped for most of its history. Even during the more peaceful years of British colonial administration the region did not develop an industrial base. After Indian independence (1947), Bhopal became the capital of Madhya Pradesh - a large, poor, unindustrialized, agricultural state in the centre of the country. As the seat of state government, Bhopal attracted new government offices, service jobs, commerce, and industry. In 1956, Asia's largest heavy electrical manufacturing plant was established in the city.

Throughout the 1960s, Bhopal continued to attract new industries and government institutions. With this sudden development came surging population growth and haphazard urbanization. From a base of 50,000 people in the mid-1950s, the city grew to 102,000 in 1961, to 385,000 in 1971, to 670,000 in 1981, and surpassed 1 million by 1991 (Bhopal Municipal Corporation 1975; Minocha 1981). One clear result of rapid growth was an acute shortage of infrastructural services at the time of the accident. Housing, water supply, electricity, transportation, communication, and medical services were all inadequate. Nearly 20 per cent of the city's population lived in 156 slum colonies, many of which were located alongside various hazardous facilities. Throughout the city, water was available for only a few hours a day. There was no sewage treatment system. Cuts and reductions in electrical power were a continuing problem.

Bhopal's antiquated and highly unreliable telephone system included only 10,000 lines to serve more than 1 million people. The medical system was even more inadequate: there were 1800 hospital beds and 300 doctors. When the accident occurred, this poor infrastructure limited the city's ability to mitigate damage (Bidwai 1984; Morehouse and Subramaniam 1988; Shrivastava 1992). A multiple-perspectives understanding of crises This chapter employs a multiple-perspectives analysis of Bhopal (Shrivastava 1992). This approach seeks to understand the crisis from the perspectives of all key stakeholders. Stakeholders are individuals and organizations that influence, or are influenced by, the crisis. The key stakeholders in the Bhopal crisis included victims (i.e. the community in Bhopal), Union Carbide Corporation, and the Government of India. A multiple-perspectives approach also acknowledges the complexity of causes and the importance of contextual factors. It interprets causes in systemic terms (Mitchell, Devine, and Jagger 1989).

Technological, organizational, and societal systems are susceptible to multiple, simultaneous, and interacting failures. A main limitation of the traditional systems view of causation is that it does not indicate which causes are more or less important, and from whose point of view. The multiple-perspectives approach addresses this limitation and accepts the impossibility of unambiguously fixing blame for industrial crises. Attempts to affix blame are reductionist: they merely divert analysts from proper understanding of the events. Finally, the multipleperspectives approach regards controversies and conflicts as an integral part of crises. Such conflicts cannot be denied or brushed away: they are the central defining features of crises. The most controversial elements of crises are their impacts or consequences. Consequences are difficult to ascertain because they are many, diverse, and difficult to measure. Some consequences are indirect, some are unknown, some are trans-generational, and some extend in space to unforeseeable areas. In the Bhopal case, victims saw the crisis largely in terms of personal losses: they lost their lives or faculties, their health, their sources of income, and their sense of community. An army of lawyers, government officials, activists, reporters, and researchers invaded Bhopal.

The lives of residents have already been disrupted for months and years, and will continue to be disrupted for a long time to come. In these circumstances, recovery has involved efforts to rebound from multifaceted losses. Officials at Union Carbide viewed this crisis as an unfortunate technological "incident." Because of its long history in the chemical industry, the company was familiar with the types of losses such incidents generate. These include legal liability for damages, financial losses, and bad reputation. Union Carbide's main concern was to protect its financial assets and reputation. It embarked on an elaborate strategy of legal defence, financial restructuring, and public relations (Union Carbide Corporation 1985). For the Government of India, the crisis was a socio-economic and political disaster. As the institution responsible for safeguarding public safety, the government had failed abysmally. It needed to redeem itself in the eyes of the public, by deflecting responsibility for its role in the disaster. It was also saddled with the far more difficult task of managing recovery and rehabilitation of victims. Victims remain victims As used here, the term "recovery" refers to the period after the gas had dissipated and the victims were attempting to come to terms with its consequences.

This does not mean that there was a return to a preaccident state of normalcy or an overall improvement in the status of victims. In that sense, recovery may never have taken place for a majority of those who were affected by this crisis. Medical recovery In the immediate aftermath of the accident, most attention was devoted to medical recovery. MIC caused damage to lung tissue and respiratory functions. Victims suffered from breathlessness, cough, nausea, vomiting, chest pains, dry eyes, poor sight, photophobia, and loss of appetite. They also manifested psychological trauma symptoms: these included anxiety, depression, phobias, and nightmares. Women in the affected area appear to have suffered a variety of medical problems. Studies of limited population samples showed that up to 50 per cent of women experienced irregular menstruation, and there was a failure of lactation in nursing mothers. The number of spontaneous abortions rose sharply. Women also bore a disproportionately large burden of economic and social losses: they lost earning members of their family and had no alternative source of income; they were socially ostracized and victimized by loan sharks. Local doctors had no information on the toxicity and epidemiology of MIC poisoning.

Even the publicly available scientific data on MIC did not reach doctors in Bhopal until several days after the accident. Hence, the only medical treatment provided was limited to symptomatic treatment of injuries. The medical system was simply overwhelmed by the large number of injured victims that rushed to hospitals. The coroner's office was unable to provide death certificates to victims' relatives. Many bodies were buried or cremated before official registration of death. Voluntary organizations set up makeshift clinics in the affected neighbourhoods to supplement the government's efforts: these included the Indian Red Cross, Voluntary Health Association of India, Medico Friends Circle, and several religious charitable organizations. In 1987 the state government converted one of its local clinics into a 150-bed hospital for gas victims. The lack of medical documentation of injuries proved to be a major hindrance to the delivery of medical relief and the provision of compensation. But it was not the only problem: without baseline data on community health it was also difficult to identify specific medical consequences of MIC exposure and to develop focused treatment protocols. Poor health information is common in many disasters, especially those that affect developing countries. It has important implications for disaster-management strategies.

Several epidemiological and medical surveillance studies were initiated by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the local medical college. They found that a large population (possibly 300,000 people) had been affected by the gas. Unfortunately, government-sponsored studies were not made fully public for several years, because they were to be used in the court case against Union Carbide. Managing the health effects of MIC exposure was confounded by two other factors. First, most of the affected people were poor and malnourished; they suffered many of the post-exposure symptoms even before exposure to MIC. Second, it was not clear what gases besides MIC may have been implicated in the accident. Some doctors felt that cyanide may have been one of the by-products of the accident. They detected cyanide poisoning symptoms among the victims, though this was never proved or disproved. Economic recovery Economic losses from the accident included loss of jobs, loss of earning capacity of victims, business disruptions, cost of compensation and rehabilitation, and legal costs. The UCIL plant, a $25 million investment, was shut down immediately after the accident, and 650 permanent jobs were lost.

A few months later the Union Carbide Research and Development Center, located in another part of Bhopal, was also cut back to a skeleton staff. Local businesses and state government offices were shut down for three weeks, losing business and tax revenues. The two mass evacuations disrupted commercial activities for several weeks, with resulting business losses of $8-65 million. Loss of work in government offices was not included in these estimates (Morehouse and Subramaniam 1988; Shrivastava 1992). In the year after the accident, the government took many well-intentioned steps to provide economic relief to victims. Compensation of about $800 per fatality was paid to relatives of dead persons. Smaller cash compensation awards (less than $100) were distributed to 20,000 victims and 3,000 more victims were provided with part-time employment. New schools were also opened in the affected neighbourhoods. Unfortunately, in proportion to the tremendous relief needs these early (1985-1987) efforts were miniscule. Government relief failed to alleviate the misery of victims; it was simply too small in scale and limited in scope.

But, given the many competing demands for government support, this was all that the government could manage at the time. Beginning in March 1991, new interim relief payments were made to victims. Sums of Rs 200 (about $8) per month were paid to all victims who lived in 37 of the city's 54 wards that were officially classified as "gas affected." A total of $260 million was disbursed, but the money was given to all people who lived in the affected wards, not just the victims. In fact, many of the people who lived in these 37 wards were not victims at all: they had moved in after the accident. As cash relief payments flowed into the city, the local inflation rate jumped to between 15 and 20 per cent per annum. Most people pinned their hopes of long-term recovery on anticipated compensation from Union Carbide. Struggle for compensation Union Carbide paid $470 million of a compensation settlement in January 1989. This money remained in a court-administered account until 1992, while claims were sorted out.

By early 1993 there were 630,000 claims, of which only 350,000 had been substantiated on the basis of medical records. Hundreds of victims continued to die during the prolonged politico-legal and bureaucratic battles over compensation. The compensation that victims sought in mid-1985 was modest and reasonable. They asked that compensation for dead victims be paid according to the standards of death compensation then prevailing in India: seriously injured victims were to be paid $100-150 per month, to meet their food and medical needs; victims with minor injuries were to be paid a one-time compensation for medical costs and economic hardship (Morehouse and Subramaniam 1988). It was estimated that the total cost of all compensation would be between $600 million and $1.2 billion. The victims' quest for compensation took formal shape in a lawsuit filed by the Government of India against Union Carbide Corporation in New York, in March 1985. Table 5.2 summarizes the main legal events since the accident.

US-based cases were consolidated under Judge Keenan (Federal District Court of New York), and Union Carbide then asked that the case be moved to India, on the grounds that the United States was not a convenient venue for trial (Adler 1985). It was argued that the accident occurred in India and most of the evidence lay in India. Keenan sent the case to India under condition that "due process" of law would be followed there. The case went to the Bhopal District Court - the lowest-level court that could hear such a case. For the next four years it wound its way through the maze of legal bureaucracy, via the State High Court, up to the Supreme Court of India. The Government of India did not want to expedite the case by appointing a special court. That might constitute lack of due process and thereby provide grounds for appeal by Union Carbide. Table 5.2 Chronology of legal events Date Criminal cases reopened against UCC. Top UCC executives subpoenaed January 1993 Compensation distribution initiated The two main legal disputes were over the amount of compensation and the exoneration of Union Carbide from future liabilities. But these disputes were complicated by lack of reliable information about causes and consequences.

More importantly, the Government of India's Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Ordinance - a law that appointed the government as sole representative of the victims - was challenged by victim activists. Victims were usually not consulted about legal matters or settlement possibilities. In the bureaucratic and political maze that constituted "the government," victims had no meaningful representation. This, in effect, dissolved the victims' identity as a constituency separate and differing from the government. This unintentional disempowerment of victims seems to occur in other disasters, too, especially where victims are poor and cannot afford independent legal help (Reich 1991). The solution to costly and time-consuming litigation lay in reaching an out-of-court settlement. However, any settlement was fraught with many political dangers. A settlement with Union Carbide could backfire on the government. It could be seen as capitulation to pressures from a multinational corporation and the United States. This meant that a viable settlement could be made only after the case reached the Supreme Court, beyond which level it could not be appealed, at least in India. It also required correct political timing, when the settlement could go through parliamentary approval with minimal political opposition.

The national parliamentary elections of 1989 presented a good political opportunity to settle the case and win support from voters. Five years had passed since the accident; the legal case had reached the Supreme Court; victims were fed up with waiting. In any event, hundreds of victims had died and thousands had moved out of the gas-affected neighbourhoods. The level of organization among victims was at the lowest point and their ability to protest was minimal. In January 1989, the Supreme Court brokered a settlement of $470 million in compensation that gave Union Carbide immunity from future prosecution. Victims and activists challenged the settlement in the Supreme Court. They argued that the settlement amount was inadequate and claimed that granting Union Carbide immunity from criminal prosecution was unconstitutional. In October 1991, the Supreme Court ruled on this challenge: it upheld the compensation amount and ordered the government to distribute the compensation funds immediately. However, it also cancelled Union Carbide's immunity from further prosecution. Victims remain victims By 1991, seven years after the accident and two years after the settlement, victims were poised to receive compensation payments. But bureaucratic procedures delayed the initiation of payments until 1993. What had happened in the interim?

The population of Bhopal had nearly doubled since the accident. Conflicts had politicized the definition of victims. The government was in the process of setting up 17 administrative courts for validating claims and distributing funds. It lacked good medico-legal documentation of damages to sort out valid claims: there were 13,000 death claims, whereas government figures showed 4,000 deaths. Of the 630,000 claimants, 280,000 failed to appear before officials to validate their claims. At the beginning of 1993, distribution of compensation money was started. Union Carbide's original $470 million had accumulated considerable interest and now totalled $700 million. By March of that year, 700 victims had received $2 million. This included relatives of the dead, who received $3,200 per fatality (more for multiple bereavements in the same family). Those who suffered serious injuries received $3,000 each; people with minor injuries were to receive much less (Hazarika 1993). Bhopal has been in a chronic crisis since the accident.

Only the parameters of the crisis have changed with time. At the time of the accident, medical and ecological damages were most salient; today, the economic and social damages are more important. The city has also experienced a steady transformation of social and cultural attitudes towards the disaster. For people not affected by it, the disaster became a nuisance. It was a source of political conflicts and economic decline of the city. This segment of Bhopal viewed gas victims as a burden on the city's limited resources. They preferred to forget about the accident and get on with their lives. The precarious and explosive situation in Bhopal was apparent during the Hindu-Muslim riots of December 1992 and early 1993. Bhopal was among the three worst-affected cities in India and incurred 150 deaths; 1,300 gas victims had their homes and compensation documents destroyed in fires. Financial restructuring The accident threatened Union Carbide's financial survival (Union Carbide Corporation 1985-1990). It faced multibillion-dollar liability suits and bad publicity at a time when its stock price had fallen dramatically.

Before the disaster, UCC stock traded at between $50 and $58; in the months immediately following the accident it traded at $32-$40. Speculators bought a large number of stocks from financial institutions seeking to unload them. Then, in the latter half of 1985, the GAF Corporation of New York made a hostile bid to take over Union Carbide. This battle and speculative stock trading ran up the UCC stock price to $96 and forced it into financial restructuring. To respond to the GAF attack, Union Carbide sold the consumer products division, which was its most profitable business. Commodity chemicals were retained, although this was a business the company had originally wanted to divest itself of. In 1986, Union Carbide sold assets worth over $3.3 billion and repurchased 38.8 million of the shares to protect the company from further threats of take-over. Stockholders were given $1.1 billion in cash and a three-for-one stock split. The company also took on nearly $3 billion in debt. The 1987 Annual Report called this restructuring a "true come back story." Throughout 1987 the company consolidated its new structure.

The new Union Carbide now has three divisions - Chemicals and Plastics, Industrial Gases, and Carbon Products. In addition to company restructuring, there were many changes in personnel and business activities. Key top managers at the time of the accident were transferred, or retired, or left the company. At the parent company, Warren Anderson (the Chief Executive Officer), Ronald Wishart (Executive Vice President for Public and Government Relations), and Jackson Browning (Vice President for Environment, Safety, and Health), have retired. At the Indian subsidiary, the Chairman, Keshub Mahindra, and the Bhopal Factory Manager, J. Mukund, moved on to new positions. Most of the Bhopal plant managers left the company after the plant closed. The departure of employees directly involved with the accident was convenient for Union Carbide. It allowed the company to distance itself psychologically from the disaster. Under the new Chief Executive, Robert Kennedy, a campaign was begun to rebuild a business decimated by the 1985 hostile take-over attempt. OAF's takeover bid forced UCC to reverse its corporate strategy and move counter to industry trends.

Other large chemical companies, such as Du Pont and Monsanto, were diversifying away from commodity chemicals into new glamorous areas of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Union Carbide, too, wanted to balance its business portfolio by reducing dependence on cyclical commodity chemicals and expanding consumer products. In 1984, UCC tried unsuccessfully to sell its commodity chemicals business. However, to fend off the GAF attack, UCC sold its most profitable consumer products business units. It took on additional debt to buy back stock. There were few resources left with which to diversify. UCC cut back operations and emerged a much smaller, yet profitable, firm. According to company spokespeople, 1988 was "the best year in the 71 year history of Union Carbide." Earnings per share were $4.88, including a charge of $0.43 per share for resolution of the Bhopal litigation. By now, the Bhopal accident was exclusively in the hands of the company's legal department and outside attorneys. After the compensation settlement of 1989, Union Carbide believed that the crisis was over. Its leaders embarked on the task of aggressively rebuilding their various businesses.

The company returned to the strategy it was considering in pre-Bhopal days, i.e. reducing dependence on heavy chemicals while diversifying into pharmaceuticals and consumer products. Therefore, in 1990, Union Carbide bought Vitaphore Corporation, a maker of medical devices. Joint ventures in dermatological products and plant genetics were also begun with other companies (Lepkowski 1993). The crushing debt burden, acquired in the process of fending off OAF's threatened take-over, hampered the company's financial recovery. At the end of 1986, debt accounted for a staggering 80 per cent of capitalization. At the end of 1991, debt still remained at 50 per cent of capitalization and sales were $7.35 billion. In 1992, UCC sold its Linde Gas Division for $2.4 billion, leaving the company at less than half its pre-Bhopal size. It is clear that the Bhopal disaster slowly but steadily sapped the financial strength of Union Carbide and adversely affected its morale and productivity. Pre-tax profits per employee were just $16,700.

In comparison, its competitor and industry leader Dow Chemicals had pre-tax profits per employee of $41,200. Some financial analysts point to Union Carbide's reduced size, low profitability, lack of diversification, lack of competitive edge, and low employee morale as major liabilities (McMurray 1992). The Indian subsidiary, Union Carbide India Ltd., maintained a low profile in the post-Bhopal period. It steered clear of lawsuits between the parent company and the Government of India, and concentrated on managing other businesses in India. UCIL closed the pesticide plant and reduced the Research and Development Center in Bhopal to a skeleton staff. Top management personnel from the Bhopal plant moved to other parts of the company. Apart from the fact that UCIL was denied permits that would have permitted expansion, it remained largely unaffected by the Bhopal accident. Legal battles and the "sabotage" defence For Union Carbide, the legal battle with the Government of India was a major long-term effect of the Bhopal disaster.

The company's legal defence was built around the claim that it was not liable for damages from the accident, because they were the result of "sabotage" by a disgruntled worker. UCC claimed it knew the saboteur's identity, and the firm of Arthur D. Little, Inc. was hired to verify and publicize this viewpoint (Kalelkar 1988). The company also circulated videos about the sabotage claim to the media and other interested observers. How was sabotage supposed to have occurred? It was alleged that water could not have entered the MIC tanks during pipe-washing operations: pipes leading to the tanks were simply too long; passages were too complex and blocked with closed valves. These factors would have presented an insuperable physical barrier to water. The only way that so much water could get into the MIC storage tanks was through deliberate action by an individual. According to UCC, a disgruntled worker wanted to spoil the MIC in tank 610. The main evidence was a hose connected to a water main beside an open inlet pipe leading to the tank. The UCC sabotage theory did not explain how several other simultaneous failures contributed to the accident.

In addition to water entry, there were failures in four safety devices - the vent gas scrubber, the flare tower, the refrigeration system, and the water spray. There were failures in design, operating procedures, and staffing, as described earlier. The positive-pressure systems in the MIC tanks had failed, four to eight weeks before the accident. Union Carbide's information about the sabotage came from interviews with unnamed witnesses conducted several years after the accident, in unreliable conditions. The interviews were held neither under oath nor in the presence of legal authorities or any independent (not paid by Union Carbide) observers. UCC did not reveal the name of the saboteur so that legal action could be initiated. The sabotage claim did not explain why a disgruntled worker would want to destroy a batch of MIC. Far greater financial damage could have been inflicted on the company by smashing expensive equipment or pouring water on finished goods. Without convincing evidence, the sabotage claim remains just that - a claim. The deliberate introduction of water into MIC storage tanks might have taken place without any intention to commit sabotage. A small quantity of water from pipe washing could have initiated the accident.

Operators on duty might have been alarmed by the sight of a rumbling hot tank and could have introduced water to cool it. Such a scenario was hinted at by some witnesses and it accommodates most of the claims raised in the sabotage defence. History of Bhopal Home > Travel > Indian Cities > Capital Cities of India > Bhopal > History of Bhopal History of Bhopal History of Bhopal dates back to the eleventh century and originated when Raja Bhoj built the city of Bhojpal. Bhopal history reached at its glorious situation in the early medieval era. Subscribe to Free E-Magazine on Travel History of Bhopal states with the name of Parmaras Kings of Madhya Pradesh . Bhopal is one of the oldest cities in Central India and this city has a glorious past. The history of Bhopal narrates tales of interesting, heroic and amazing incidents. Bhopal takes pride in its excellent blend of Islamic and Hindu cultures. There are various dynasties that have ruled the city over the years, contributing to its architectural and historical richness.

Early Medieval History of Bhopal The early history of medieval Bhopal starts with its foundation by the Parmara King Bhoj (1000-1055), who had his capital at Dhar. The city was initially known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal') that he is said to have constructed to form the lakes bounding Bhopal. The fortunes of Bhopal rose and fell with that of its reigning dynasty. As the Parmaras declined in power, the city was destroyed several times and finally faded away into obscurity. Later Medieval History of Bhopal An Afghan soldier of the Orakzai tribe called Dost Mohammad Khan laid out the present city of Bhopal at the same site following the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. He brought with himself the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which is still evident at Islam Nagar. Modern History of Bhopal Bhopal was the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India and was ruled by four Begums from 1819 to 1926.

History of Bhopal has also experienced the rule of Begums, like the famous Qudisa Begum, who was the first female ruler of Bhopal and was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter, Shahjehan. Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum was the last female ruler, and was succeeded by her son. The succession of the 'Begums' gave the city such innovations as waterworks, railways and a postal system. History of Bhopal has witnessed several monuments as reminders of this glorious period. Bhopal after Independent India It was one of the last princely states to sign the 'Instrument of Accession' 1947. Though India gained Independence in August 1947, the ruler of Bhopal surrendered to the Indian government on 1 May 1949. Sindhi refugees from Pakistan lived in Bairagarh (Sant Hirdaram nagar), a western suburb of Bhopal. According to the States Reorganization Act of 1956, Bhopal state was incorporated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Bhopal was declared as its capital.

The population of Bhopal rose rapidly since then. Even after India's independence from British rulers, HH Nawab Hamidullah Khan, who had been titled 'Aala Hazrat', ruled Madhya Pradesh. He had his personal influence not only over the heads of the remaining states, but also over the eminent national leaders of the independent India. "Nai Raah", a weekly Hindi journal was started with the motive to raise the voice of people of Bhopal State, to move for merger. "Nai Raah" very soon became the mouthpiece of people of Bhopal State, promulgated the smouldering fire in the hearts of oppressed and suffering public of the state. Ultimately Sardar Patel had to speak up on behalf of the union government to pressurise for the merger. As a result, the agreement of the merger of the Bhopal State in the union of the independent India was signed on 30 April 1949.

Gas Tragedy of Bhopal On December 3, 1984, the modern history of Bhopal faced a devastating incident, when a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal leaked 42 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas, leading to the a massacre of about 3,000 deaths. The Bhopal disaster is often said as the world's worst industrial disaster and is observed as black day. Every year all government offices in Bhopal remain closed on this day. The history of Bhopal entails many hindrances to the path of destruction; however the city has presently emerged as one of the most flourishing one in central India. (Last Updated on : 20/03/2015) Recently Updated Articles in Indian Cities • Waterfalls in Thissur are tourist attractions for adventure lovers or one who finds bliss far from the bustling city. • Cities of Mizoram are embellished with blue mountains, azure sky and the beautiful waterfalls, which lend a majestic atmosphere to this one of the Sven Sisters State of India • Ghatshila is a weekend destination from Kolkata and it is located very near to Jhargram.

Ghatshila is surrounded with evergreen forests and enchanting Subarnarekha. • Cities of Odisha Cities of Odisha bring out the spirit of religiousness amidst their remnants of Buddha era, Jain Era and Ashokan Era and chronological past of the dark age of Muslims and the development of the cities in colonial India and post colonial India. • Importance of Bhopal News Importance of Bhopal News 0 Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, this makes Bhopal News important. It matters not only to the local people but to all those who are connected to the city. The city attracted international attention after the Gas Disaster in the year 1984. After this incident Bhopal News became the center of attention for both national and international media. The tragedy caused rigorous harm to various people and is still continuing to affect the health of the residents in Bhopal. This is the reason that media has always given importance to any piece of Bhopal News which is related to the gas tragedy. The city is a hub to all the important administrational changes happening in the state. Quite clearly, any important development happening the state will be reported from Bhopal.

The city is also an important economic, industrial, educational and political center of the State. ISRO's Master Control Facility which is the second installation of its kind in the country, youngest Laboratory of CSIR i.e. the Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), MANIT, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Bhopal), School of Planning and Architecture, Indian Institute of Forest Management are all established in the city. The presence all these institutes in the city give relevance to Bhopal News. The city remains in news because of the various industries as well. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, which is the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India, has a unit in Bhopal. It occupies a large area in the Eastern Part of the city and maintains a suburb named after it. A majority of the residents of the BHEL Suburb are employed by the unit. Major commercial areas in the city are M.P. Nagar, Bittan Market, New Market, 10 Number Market.

These places also accommodates many business houses, hardware and software stores, banks, media and press houses, showrooms, retail stores, coaching centres as well as hotels, restaurants, eateries, shopping centers, malls and movie halls. This makes the region popular among the youth of the city, popularity of these areas give them a place in Bhopal News. It is also an education hub of the state, a number of students from all over the country come to Bhopal in order to pursue education. Bhopal News is important for these outstation students as well, this keeps them aware of the happenings in a city which is quite new to them. Students come here mainly to pursue engineering and medical courses. Apart from being in news for its culture and economic wealth, the city has also been in news for some negative reasons. There has also been a time when Bhopal News was mainly focused around the riots in the city. Communal riots of 1992 attracted media attention in a huge way. Anybody who has been a follower of Bhopal News will never forget the impact of 1992 riots in the city. These riots were supposed to be a post-babri demolition reaction.

Bhopal is also home to the DB Corp, informally called the Bhaskar Group (after its major publication Dainik Bhaskar), a Rs. 1700 crore (Rs. 17 billion) business conglomerate with strong presence in newspapers, television, entertainment, printing, textiles, fast moving consumer goods, oils, solvents and internet services. Its head office is located in Maharana Pratap Nagar. Manjul Publishing House, located in the old city, is a major publishing house made famous by the translation of the Harry Potter series of novels into Hindi. Dainik Bhaskar has played an important role in popularizing Bhopal News on a national level. Clearly, Bhopal News will matter to all those who are residents of the city, and also to those who have been a part of the city at some point of time in their life. A person living in some distant part of the country, if connects to Bhopal somehow, will definitely connect to Bhopal News. This article is written on behalf of Bhaskar.com the largest Hindi news portal. Bhaskar.com is the online edition of Dainik Bhaskar, No.1 Hindi news paper & largest Hindi daily.

Find all News, Hindi News, India News , National News, News Headlines, Breaking News, Daily News, Hindi News Paper, Local News in Bhaskar.com. Rate this Article Manas: Landscapes of India: Indus, Ganga and other Rivers Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India . Its name means middle province, and it is the country's largest state in area. Madhya Pradesh is predominantly an agricultural region, with a relatively small population. Lack of roads, railway, and other infrastructure has hindered the overall industrial development of the state, and it has now lost most of its impressive mineral deposits to the new state of Chattisgarh. People and government People. The state's population density is greater in the west than in the east. The majority of the people live in rural areas. Bhopal is the capital, with more than one million inhabitants.� Most of the people are Hindus, though Muslims are to be found in significant numbers in Bhopal and some other urban areas.� There are also a small number of Sikhs, Christians, and practitioners of other faiths. ����������� Hindi is the most widely spoken language, followed by Marathi.

Gujarati, Oriya, Punjabi, and Urdu are also spoken by many people.� The literacy rate is a little over 30 per cent. Government. The constitutional head of state is the governor, who is appointed by the president. The chief minister and cabinet are elected from the legislative assembly, which has 230 members. The state capital is Bhopal . Madhya Pradesh has 29 elected members in the Lok Sabha (lower house) and 11 nominated representatives in the Rajya Sabha (upper house) of the Indian national parliament. There are 45 districts in Madhya Pradesh. The collector has administrative and magisterial power at district level. Local administration is in the hands of the gram panchayat (village councils) of elected inhabitants. Economy Agriculture. Farming is the most important sector of the economy of Madhya Pradesh. The chief areas are in the Chambal Narmada Valley , and the Rewa Plateau. Nearly half of the land area can be cultivated, and about a sixth of that is irrigated by means of canals, tanks, and wells. There are more than 20 major irrigation and power projects.

The main food crops are jowar (sorghum), rice, wheat, and coarse millets such as kondo, kutki and sawan. Peanuts and pulses such as beans, lentils, and peas are also important. Rice is the major crop in the east where rainfall is heavy. In the drier eastern areas, wheat is the main food crop. Madhya Pradesh is the largest soybean producer in India . Other commercial crops include cotton, linseed, sesame, and sugar cane. Forests cover less than 25 per cent of the state. Salai trees are a source of a resin which is used for incense and medicine. Bamboo, teak, and sal are valuable timber trees. Manufacturing. The major industries in the state include the heavy electrical plant at Bhopal , an aluminum plant at Korba, paper mills at Hoshangabad and Nepanagar, an alkaline battery factory at Neemuch and numerous cement works. There is a leather factory at Dewas and an explosives and gun factory at Jabalpur . There are 25 textile mills in the state, seven of them nationalized.

The state government has established large and medium scale industries at Indore Bhopal is the fastest-growing industrial centre. New industries include electronics, optical fibres, plastics, and toolmaking. Mining.� Madhya Pradesh has some mineral deposits of bauxite, coal, copper, dolomite, iron ore, limestone, manganese ore, and rock phosphate. The country's largest diamond mine, with recoverable reserves of one million carats, is at Panna. Balaghat district is being prospected for copper ore. Electricity. There are several major river systems in the state with much potential for hydroelectric power generation.� The most controversial of the hydroelectric and irrigation projects, which involves the construction of hundreds of dams along the Narmada river, has been stalled for years, though recently India �s Supreme Court ruled that the project would be allowed to continue.� Those objecting to it point to the huge environmental destruction, the immersion of thousands of villages under water, and the loss by tribals of their ancestral lands. Transportation. The provision of transportation facilities in the state is uneven.

There are good road and rail communications in the western part, particularly along the corridor running from Gwalior in the north to Bhopal in the centre and Khandwa in the south. The original purpose of the railways was to connect Bombay . Land Location and description. Madhya Pradesh shares boundaries with the following states: Uttar Pradesh to the north, Chattisgarh to the east, Maharashtra to the south and southwest, Gujarat to the west, and Rajasthan to the northwest. Land features. The state occupies the Deccan Plateau. It has a number of hill ranges and is the source of some of the most important peninsular rivers. The Vindhya Range of uplands runs diagonally across the state from around Dhar to just south of Khajuraho. South of it is the Satpura , which extends from Khandwa to the Kanha .� In the north, the Rewa Plateau overlooks the plain of the Ganges (Ganga) River around Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.� Several rivers, such as the Keu, dissect the Vindhyas, and here have cut deep ravines. Generally well wooded, the hills rise in places to 600 metres.

The low-lying areas of and Bundelkhand have lighter soil, while the Narmada Valley contains deep rich alluvial (river silt) deposits. Climate. The monsoon dominates the climate, with most of the yearly rain falling between June and September. � Bhopal , for example, receives 120 centimetres a year, of which 90 per cent is in the rainy season. The season preceding the rains (March to May) is hot and dry, with temperatures exceeding 33 �C everywhere and often reaching 44 �C. The average maximum during the monsoon is 30 �C, and the minimum 19 �C. Humidity levels are much higher than at other times of the year. The monsoon causes luxuriant plant growth. The winters are dry and pleasant. The average maximum temperature from November to February is 27 �C, and the minimum 10 �C. Annual rainfall tends to decrease from south to north and from east to west. Wildlife. Madhya Pradesh has some pockets of dense forest.� The main areas are the Vindhya-Kaimur ranges and the Satpura range.

Teak, sal, and bamboo are the most important commercial trees. There is a rich wildlife in these forests, including bison, black buck, wild buffalo, cheetal (spotted deer), leopard and sambar (large brown deer).� Kanha National Park is the only habitat of the hardground barasingha (swamp deer). Shivpuri and Bandhogarh parks are important game reserves. Shivpuri is known for its albinotic (white) tigers. Rivers and lakes. Of the river systems in the state, the Narmada , the Chambal, and the Tapti are the most important.� The Narmada rises in the heart of the state and flows west. At Jabalpur , it runs through marble gorges. Along its northern edge are the Bharner Hills, part of the Vindhya Range . To the south of the Narmada , and forming the southern border of the state, are the Satpura , the highest of which are the Mahadeo Hills. �The Chambal River forms the northern border of the state with Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It joins the Yamuna (Jumna)- Ganges system in Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh.

The several lakes in the state are all artificially constructed reservoirs. Near Bhopal is the Halali reservoir and further south is the Tawa reservoir, fed by rivers from the Mahadeo Hills. The largest is Gandhi Sagar near the state boundary with Rajasthan. History Some of the earliest inhabitants of what is now Madhya Pradesh were groups such as the Bhils and Gonds. Descendants of an ancient race, they were once wide-ranging hunters and gatherers, or nomadic farmers, who moved from place to place. The simple tribal people were no match for the later waves of aggressive invaders, who gradually pushed them into the hill forest parts of the region. Among these invaders were Rajputs, Marathas, and Muslims from Central Asia One of the earliest states that existed in Madhya Pradesh was Avanti, of which Ujjain was the capital.� Ujjain is in the western part of the state. Avanti was a centre of Buddhism and of Pali, the language of early Buddhist literature. Avanti formed part of the Mauryan Empire of 300-200 B.C. (see Mauryan Empire). Several pillars and stupas of this period stand in Sanchi and Ujjain .

The stupas of Sanchi are famous (see India , Art of). From about 100 B.C. to the A.D. 1500's, various dynasties ruled part or most of the state. They included the Sunga dynasty (185-73 B.C.), the Ksaptrapas and the Nagas (A.D. 100-300), and the Guptas (300-400). The Hunas (Huns) struggled to seize control of Malwa during this period. Malwa was in western Madhya Pradesh and had developed out of the earlier state of Avanti. In the 600's, it became part of Harsha's northern Indian empire. After Harsha's time, different parts of Madhya Pradesh were again ruled by different dynasties. These dynasties include the Pratiharas, the Paramaras, the Chandellas, and the Chedis. Up to the 1200's, there were also a number of Gond tribal kingdoms in Madhya Pradesh. The Paramara king Bhoja was an enlightened monarch, a poet, and a patron of both art and literature.

The Chandella king Dhanga, who reigned from 954 to 1002, commissioned the building of the magnificent temples of Khajuraho. The Turks conquered , in northern Madhya Pradesh, in the 1000's. The Delhi Sultanate incorporated Gwalior in 1231. Malwa� emerged as an independent kingdom under the Muslim Khalji dynasty in 1401, centered around the majestic capital of Mandu. Mahmud Khan Khalji (reigned 1436-1469) was the most powerful king of Malwa. He fought against� Gujarat, Delhi , and Mewar. Baz Bahadur reigned in the 1500's as the last ruler of an independent Malwa. He was a great patron of art and music. Akbar annexed Malwa to the Mughal Empire in the mid-1500's.� A large part of Madhya Pradesh, including Malwa, came under Maratha rule with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the 1700's. The chief Maratha kingdoms in Madhya Pradesh were Dhar, Dewas, Gwalior Indore .

In 1817-1818, territories in Madhya Pradesh known as the "Saugor-Nerbudda" came under the control of the British following their victory over the Marathas in the Anglo-Maratha wars. The British extended their influence into the area by making treaties with the native rulers and annexing part of the territory. The area under direct British administration in time became known as the Central Provinces and consisted of Malwa, Bundelkhand, and the part of Jharkhand state which is known as Baghelkhand. The anti-colonial movement in Madhya Pradesh was relatively weak. When India gained independence in 1947, the Central Provinces and Berar became Madhya Pradesh. Adjoining territories were added to the new state. In 1956, the government detached eight Marathi-speaking districts and added them to Bombay ). Bhopal also became part of Madhya Pradesh. Feudal influences still persist in the politics of Madhya Pradesh. The main political parties are the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and at present Congress is in power.

At Bhopal in 1984, poisonous gas leaked from a factory owned by the Union Carbide Corporation of the United States . More than 2,000 people died as a result of the leak and about 200,000 people were injured.

�It is estimated that some 75,000 people have died since then from illnesses caused by the gas leak.� Though the gas leak is described as one of �the worst industrial accidents in history�, subsequent investigative reporting and research have established that Union Carbide, which has made strenous attempts to evade its moral and legal responsibilities, was criminally negligent and refused to meet the minimum safety standards.� Its chairman at that time, Warren Anderson, for whom a warrant of extradition has been issued by the Indian government, remains a fugitive from justice.� For a tragedy of this magnitude, Union Carbide got away virtually scot free.� Facts in brief about Madhya Pradesh Population:1991 census � 48,520,934 Bhopal Archaeological Museum – India’s Priceless Heritage by Madhav Srinivasan on Aug 20, 2011 Madhya Pradesh is the land of stupas and national parks and the state is home to a variety of fairs, but one destination that can take you back in time straight to the roots of Indian culture is the Bhopal Archaeological Museum...

History Bhopal is one of the oldest cities in India and boasts of various interesting legends that are associated with its history. The acclaim for foundation of Bhopal goes to Raja Bhoj, who ruled here in the 11th century. The city was then known as ‘Bhojpal’. The city however, came under the banner of the Mughal dynasty who ruled here till the beginning of the 18th century. The famous Afghan soldier, Dost Mohammad, is said to have established the present city of Bhopal with assistance from Rani kamlapathi, who was a tribal queen. When the history of Bhopal is being mentioned, then the contribution of the Begum of Bengal cannot be overlooked. These royal ladies especially Begum Nawab Sultan Jahan, are known to have ruled the city for nearly a century. After the successful reign of Begum Sultan Jahan, the throne of Bhopal was passed on to her son, Hamidullah in 1926. In was under his rule, that the state signed the ‘Instrument of Accession’ and thus, became part of Indian republic, in the year 1947.

One of the most tragic industrial incidents to have occurred in the history of India and the world was the ‘Bhopal Gas Tragedy’ in December 1984, wherein more than 3000 people lost their lives. Travel within city Bhopal is a moderately vast city and traveling around Bhopal is quite easy due to the different options available for commute. Tourists can opt for the regular public buses or auto rickshaws while traveling in Bhopal. Cabs and call taxis are also available, and these can be a godsend for tourists looking for a luxurious mode of travel. Bus Buses and mini buses are the cheapest mode of commute available in Bhopal, but these have the largest network. Buses cover almost all major and minor parts of the city, and you can reach the destination of your choice through a bus with some basic knowledge on the city layout and on where you’re headed. Bus fares are very cheap, and they range around Rs 5 to 20, depending on the distance involved. Star buses, which are privately owned vehicles, are also available for almost the same fares. These buses have a wide reach and are a popular mode of transport.

Auto Rickshaw Auto rickshaws are also a popular mode of transport and a particularly safe mode of travel you can opt for during night time. Autos in Bhopal do not run on meter, and there are no special night fares. You should negotiate a specific rate before boarding an auto rickshaw. Taxi Taxis and cabs are available in Bhopal in its various hotels, railway station and airport. Taxi fares in Bhopal range from Rs 12 to 14 per kilometer. Azeem Travels- Ph: (+91) 9826049321 Indore Travels- Ph: (+91) 9329574551 Hotels You can find 31 hotels in Bhopal under following categories: Places to See Bhopal | Article about Bhopal by The Free Dictionary Bhopal | Article about Bhopal by The Free Dictionary Related to Bhopal: Love Canal Bhopal (bō`päl), former principality, Madhya Pradesh state, central India. A region of rolling downs and thickly forested hills, it is predominantly agricultural.

Its Buddhist monuments include the famous stupa (3d cent. B.C.) at Sanchi. Bhopal was founded in the early 18th cent. and was ruled from 1844 to 1926 by the begums of Bhopal, famous women leaders. Although the population was mainly Hindu, the princely family was Muslim. Bhopal became part of the state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956. The city of Bhopal (1991 pop. 1,062,771), the former capital of the principality and now the capital of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh , state (2001 provisional pop. 60,385,118), 119,010 sq mi (308,240 sq km), central India, between the Deccan and the Ganges plain. The capital is Bhopal. One of the largest states in India, Madhya Pradesh consists, from north to south, of upland zones separated by ..... Click the link for more information. , was founded in 1728.

It is a trade center with manufactures of cotton cloth, jewelry, electrical goods, and chemicals. Bhopal has a very modern section and an old city, and hills and lakes give the environs much scenic beauty. The city is the seat of several institutions of higher education and a large mosque, the Taj-ul-masjid. There are many sites of historical and archaeological interest in Bhopal and nearby. In Dec., 1984, a cloud of methyl isocynate gas escaped from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. An estimated 3,000 to 7,000 died immediately, 15,000 to 20,000 died from the effects in the years after the disaster, and 50,000 to 100,000 suffered from serious injuries as a result of the world's worst chemical disaster. The Indian government sued on behalf of 570,000 victims and in 1989 settled for $470 million in damages and exempted company employees from criminal prosecution.

The Indian judiciary rejected that exemption in 1991, and the company's Indian assets were seized (1992) after its officials failed to appear to face charges. The chairman of Union Carbide's Indian branch and seven other of its Indian employees (one deceased) were convicted of death by negligence in 2010, and later that year the Indian government sued to increase the damages paid to $1.1 billion. Bhopal a city in central India, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state and of the former state of Bhopal: site of a poisonous gas leak from a US-owned factory, which killed over 7000 people in 1984 and was implicated in a further 15 000 deaths afterwards. Pop.: 1 433 875 (2001)

Question: Which city that became famous following an incident in 1984 is the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh?
Answer: Bhopal