The Group of Ministers on the Bhopal gas tragedy is expected to suggest that the 350 metric tones of toxic waste at the Carbide plant be incinerated and 1.1 million tones of contaminated soil at the accident site be treated in a scientific manner. The incineration of the toxic waste would be done near Indore.
The state government would oversee these tasks while the Centre would pitch in with financial and scientific assistance. The Carbide plant would be dismantled and a memorial park set up at the site. A new research centre of ICMR is also proposed in Bhopal.
These points emerged during the deliberations of the GoM on Sunday.
The GoM’s focus at its fourth and final session on Sunday was, according to Home Minister P. Chidambaram “on remediation and environmental issues — remediation of contaminated soil, contaminated water, the toxic waste that are at the site and the corroded plant, the corroded steel and other material”.
Sources said that on the issue of ground water contamination, it was pointed out at the meeting that an alternative supply was available under the JNURM scheme.
The GoM, headed by Chidambaram, will meet again on Monday to finalise its report, conclusions and suggested plan of action, which will be then presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister had set a 10-day deadline for it on June 14.
{{/usCountry}}The GoM, headed by Chidambaram, will meet again on Monday to finalise its report, conclusions and suggested plan of action, which will be then presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister had set a 10-day deadline for it on June 14.
{{/usCountry}}At its earlier meetings on Friday and Saturday, the GoM had decided to seek a hike in compensation for victims, file a curative petition in the Supreme Court to fix criminal liability for the tragedy, including liability of Dow Chemicals, and call for the extradition of former Carbide chief Warren Anderson.