By Altaf Qadri Bhopal, India — Associated Press Published on Thursday, Dec. 03, 2009 2:22AM EST Hundreds of people marched through Bhopal with torches before dawn Thursday to mark the 25th anniversary of the world’s worst industrial disaster and demand the cleanup of toxic chemicals they say still contaminate the Indian city’s soil and water. 
Early on Dec. 3, 1984, a pesticide plant run by Union Carbide spewed about 40 tons of deadly methyl isocyanate gas into the city’s air, quickly killing about 4,000 people. The lingering effects of the poison raised the death toll to about 15,000 over the next few years, according to government estimates. Local activists insist the real numbers are almost twice that, and say the company and government have failed to clean up toxic chemicals at the plant, which closed after the accident. “Down with the government,” and “Down with Union Carbide,” the protesters chanted Thursday as they marched to the plant in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state. “Punish the guilty and remove the toxic waste from the plant that still contaminates the soil and groundwater,” said Rashid Bi, a victim who joined the march. … The government says at least 500,000 people were affected by the gas, also known as MIC. Activists say thousands of children born to parents directly exposed to the gas or poisoned by contaminated water are suffering from brain damage, cleft lips, missing palates and twisted limbs. Skin, vision and breathing disorders also are common, they say. …
Bhopal marks 25th anniversary of world’s worst industrial disaster
