India mulls sending Bhopal waste to Germany

The government is considering a plan to have a German company dispose of toxic waste dumped from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, where a chemical gas leak killed thousands in 1984.

The government is considering a plan to have a German company dispose of toxic waste dumped from a pesticide plant in Bhopal, where a chemical gas leak killed thousands in 1984.

HT Image

The 350 metric tons of chemical waste was dumped by the Union Carbide plant in pits that activists say are leaking toxins into ground water.

The Madhya Pradesh state official heading gas relief efforts, Praveer Krishna, says the government is "working on a plan" to send the waste for incineration by Germany's government-run Society for International Cooperation. The government is yet to make a final decision June 8.

Bhopal activist Rachna Dhingra said on Friday that the initial proposal calls for India to pay 9 million euros ($11.3 million) for the disposal, which India will seek from Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide in 2001.