SSC
National Pollution Control Day, observed in India on 2 December, commemorates the victims of:
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Answer: Option C — The Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984)
Detailed Solution
National Pollution Control Day (also called National Pollution Prevention Day) is observed in India every year on 2 December in memory of the people who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
About the Bhopal Gas Tragedy:
- It occurred on the night of 2-3 December 1984 at the pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- A leak of about 40 tonnes of the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) spread over the city.
- Thousands of people died within days, and the official death toll grew over time; estimates of total deaths range from several thousand to more than 15,000.
- Hundreds of thousands of people suffered long-term injuries, such as lung, eye and nerve damage, and many children were born with defects.
- It is regarded as the world's worst industrial disaster.
- The parent company was Union Carbide Corporation (USA), whose chairman was Warren Anderson.
- In 1989, Union Carbide paid 470 million US dollars to the Indian government in a settlement.
Laws and measures after Bhopal:
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: an "umbrella" law for environmental protection.
- Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991.
- The Ministry of Environment and Forests was strengthened.
Purpose of the day:
- To raise awareness about industrial disasters and the need to control pollution of air, water and soil.
- To make industries follow pollution control laws.
Other pollution-related facts:
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was set up in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed in 1981.
- The book "Five Past Midnight in Bhopal" by Dominique Lapierre and Javier Moro describes the tragedy.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Chernobyl disaster (26 April 1986) was a nuclear accident in Ukraine.
- ✗The Vizag gas leak (May 2020) was a styrene gas leak at LG Polymers, Visakhapatnam.
- ✗The Minamata disease was mercury poisoning in Japan.
Quick tip
Remember: 2 December = National Pollution Control Day (Bhopal Gas Tragedy, night of 2-3 December 1984; methyl isocyanate; Union Carbide); Environment (Protection) Act 1986 followed.
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Important Days & Dates — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Important Days & Dates, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers national and international days observed through the year, such as National Youth Day, World Environment Day and International Yoga Day, along with the themes announced for them and the events or people they commemorate. Questions ask for the date of a day, the day observed on a given date, or the person it honours (for example, National Sports Day on 29 August marks the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand). Revise days month by month in a calendar format. Themes change every year, so learn the current year's themes from current affairs. Practise the important days questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.