During the visit, the Chief Minister held discussions with senior officials from the Bhopal district administration and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department. Officials said deliberations included a preliminary review of land records and possible future utilisation of the factory land, parts of which have remained unused for decades. Ahead of the visit, district officials examined ownership and land-use documents, while the police department submitted a request for allotment of land for the DRP line.
Gas victims’ organisations were expected to meet the Chief Minister to raise outstanding rehabilitation and welfare issues. Activist Rachna Dhingra said the groups planned to flag delays in pension payments, noting that several women beneficiaries have not received the monthly assistance of ₹1,000. She also pointed out that the state-level committee formed to oversee healthcare and rehabilitation of gas victims has not convened a meeting in the past 11 years.
The inspection comes nearly a year after a major clean-up exercise at the site. In January last year, 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) factory were removed after almost four decades and transported to Pithampur under tight security for incineration, following sustained protests. However, victims’ groups allege that large quantities of hazardous waste remain buried within the premises, leading to groundwater contamination in at least 42 surrounding settlements.
The Union Carbide factory is the site of the world’s worst industrial disaster. On the night of December 2–3, 1984, methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from Tank No. 610, killing thousands within hours. Official figures recorded 3,828 deaths immediately, while later estimates suggest over 15,000 fatalities due to long-term exposure. More than five lakh people are believed to have suffered health impacts over the years.
Established in 1969, the UCIL plant manufactured pesticides using highly toxic MIC. Investigations later found that safety norms were violated, including overfilling of storage tanks and inadequate maintenance. Water ingress into Tank 610 triggered a runaway chemical reaction, releasing deadly gas across the city.
Officials said the Chief Minister’s visit was part of ongoing efforts to reassess rehabilitation measures and address unresolved environmental and humanitarian concerns linked to the tragedy.
