UCIL stands for Union Carbide India Limited. It was an Indian subsidiary of the American multinational company, Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Founded in 1934, UCIL was primarily involved in the manufacture of various industrial products, including fertilizers, chemicals, and pesticides.
UCIL gained significant attention and controversy due to the tragic disaster known as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, which occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984. A major leak of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas from the pesticide plant, owned and operated by UCIL in Bhopal, India, resulted in the immediate deaths of thousands of people in the immediate vicinity, and the long-term effects led to numerous health problems and deaths in the years that followed.
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy is considered one of the world's worst industrial disasters, both in terms of human casualties and the environmental impact, and it led to widespread criticism of UCIL and UCC for their inadequate safety measures and negligence. The incident sparked legal battles, public outrage, and demands for justice and compensation for the victims and affected communities.
UCIL's operations were ultimately suspended, and the company faced multiple legal proceedings and efforts to hold it accountable for the disaster. It serves as a grim reminder of the importance of proper industrial safety measures and the consequences of corporate negligence.
