India, Sept. 24 -- In the 1980s, India stood at a crossroads. Industrial growth was accelerating; populations were swelling; but regulation was weak, enforcement weaker. Then two major industrial accidents happened. In December 1984, the Bhopal gas tragedy - leakage of methyl isocyanate from Union Carbide's factory - killed thousands. In December 1985, toxic oleum gas leaked from the Shri Ram Food & Fertilizers plant in a densely populated region of Delhi.

These disasters were sharp reminders that industrial development in India had outpaced both safety regulations and legal accountability. MC Mehta filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging dangerous industrial practices and weak oversight. He argued that the oleum leak not on...