Bhopal:
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, chairperson of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Bhopal, Salman Khurshid and V Narayanasamy met the Bhopal gas victims and activists today, after the Supreme Court asked it to take a decision on the disposal of toxic waste after the tragedy in 1984 which left thousands dead.
The visit, which coincides with World Environment Day, was aimed to take stock of the chemicals still lying in the Union Carbide Factory in the city. On May 11, the Supreme Court had asked the GoM on Bhopal to decide expeditiously on the disposal of 350 tonnes of toxic waste of the Bhopal Gas tragedy. In its reply, the Centre informed the court that the GoM is yet to take a final decision on this issue.
The activists have demanded a revision in the number of victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, which they claim are much less in the official figures. Activist Satinath Sarangi said, "In the curative petition that is pending before the Supreme Court the Centre has asked for enhanced compensation from Union Carbide and Dow Chemical. Regrettably, the figures of death and injury have been downplayed very badly."
The activists were also expected to take up the issue of compensation to the victims of the 1984 tragedy, as well as the proper disposal of the toxic waste lying in and around the factory area.
The Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan had earlier welcomed the Group of Ministers (GoM) visit to the city. Addressing a press conference, the Sangathan Convenor, Abdul Jabbar said the visit will serve some purpose only if the ministers really saw the chemicals lying in the Union Carbide Plant and nearby. He said that no purpose would be served if the ministers saw only the godown and the Union Carbide Factory as Jairam Ramesh did when he had visited.
Last month the court had directed the Madhya Pradesh government to dispose of the toxic waste of Union Carbide plant at the Pithampur waste disposal plant, 200 Km away from Bhopal by July.
While the Centre wants Pithampur to be finalised as the spot for the disposal, the state government has been opposing that. The main contention of the state government is that the Pithampur waste treatment storage and disposal facility (TSDF) is yet to be made operational. The state government fears that the disposal would kick up another disaster because if the temperature is not kept in check it could turn into toxic gas. It also fears stiff resistance from the locals too.