India has addressed other environmental issues this year. In July, Ramesh apologized [JURIST report] for the government's role in the 2008 disposal of toxic waste from the 1984 Bhopal chemical spill disaster [BBC backgrounder], which he said was done secretly and in an improper manner. Nearly 350 tons of waste were collected following the disaster in which nearly 3,800 people were killed when toxic gas was accidentally released in the middle of the night by a chemical plant owned by a Union Carbide [corporate website] subsidiary company. Upwards of 15,000 others later died from exposure to the gas, and 50,000 were left permanently disabled. The government reportedly removed 40 tons of the waste [AFP report] to Pithampur for disposal, but failed to consider the environmental impact or notify the public about the disposal. In June, a panel of Indian cabinet ministers announced the government would begin the process of cleaning up the disaster site [JURIST report] and would consider increasing compensation for victims of the disaster. The same month, an Indian court handed down the first convictions [JURIST report] related to the toxic spill, sentencing seven men to two years in prison as well as fines for their roles in the disaster.