Pollution Control Day has been celebrated every year on December 2 since the catastrophic gas tragedy in Bhopal, India in 1984. The day commemorates the innocent people who lost their lives from a horrific gas tragedy. The Bhopal tragedy occurred because of a gas leak on the night of December 2 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Madhya Pradesh. More than five people were exposed to the toxic fumes of methyl isocyanate gas, while the Madhya Pradesh government recorded more than 3,700 deaths due to the gas leak.
December 2, 2022 marks the 38th anniversary of the Bhopal tragedy, considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. The day has since been designated as National Pollution Control Day. In addition to raising awareness about the growing pollution of air, water and soil, this day also draws attention to pollution control acts. It teaches us how industrial accidents can be prevented by respecting the rules and regulations set out in pollution control laws.