BHOPAL: The survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy are agitated over the ‘government’s lame attempts’ to clear off the toxic waste from the abandoned Union Carbide factory premises.
The government had announced to construct an ‘employment-oriented’ memorial on the abandoned premises and as a first step, tenders were issued to dispose the hazardous waste (about 337 metric tonnes kept packed in a shed) on the factory premises, the minister of gas relief and rehabilitation department, Vishwas Sarang, had said.
Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group of Information and Action, however claims the process has not yet begun and will make no sense clearing off only 337 metric tonnes of waste.
Union Carbide plant |
She says, “We initially had reservations about clearing off merely about five percent of waste as according to the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)’s report, the toxic waste was dumped in 21 spots, especially in the solar evaporation pond made on 32 acre from 1977.”
“But now the entire ‘drama’ of clearing off waste has seen the reality and no step has been taken to do even the promised 2 per cent,” she adds.
The toxic chemicals from the waste began seeping into the groundwater after the plastic lining of the pond breached in 1982.
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The organisations working for the rehabilitation of the gas tragedy victims have been demanding a proper assessment of the extent, depth and spread of toxin for years, but to no avail.
Studies have proven the impact of pollutants on newborn kids, breast milk of mothers and on every person who survived.
Dhingra further adds, “The issue of disposal is still hanging in the court after the Gujarat government refused to incinerate the Union Carbide toxic waste in Ankleshwar and urged the Supreme Court to stay the MP High Court’s order.”
She says unless the entire waste on the premises is scientifically disposed of, there is no point in constructing a memorial there, alleging that the government is trying to wipe off the evidence of the criminal case of Bhopal gas tragedy by attempting to construct a memorial without proper disposal of toxic waste.
“A memorial will force people to consume intoxicated water forever,” she adds.
