Union Carbide is still fighting its legal responsibilities to gas and water affected Bhopal residents in court. Regardless of whose legal responsibility it is to decontaminate and protect the groundwater, the need for safe drinking water in affected communities is an urgent humanitarian matter. In a 1999 study of groundwater contamination, Greenpeace International issued the following statement: “The municipal corporation of Bhopal, the central government of Madhya Pradesh, and the national government of India all have a responsibility to provide clean drinking water to Bhopal’s water affected communities.”
On May 7, 2004 the Supreme Court of India directed the MP state government to provide clean drinking water to all, residents of contaminated communities. At present the quantities of water being delivered by the MP state government fall well below UN standards.

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