Cabinet approves disposal of Bhopal waste in Germany

The government on Tuesday approved the disposal of nearly 350 metric tonnes of Union Carbide toxic waste in Bhopal by a German company.

The approval was given following recommendations from a Group of Ministers on the Bhopal gas tragedy, chaired by Home Minister P C Chidambaram, officials said.

According to the proposal, the Centre will pay Rs 25 crore towards the cost of airlifting the waste, to be carried out by German agency-GIZ IS. The waste is proposed to be removed within a year.

About 346 MT toxic waste is lying within the premises of the erstwhile M/s Union Carbide India Ltd at Bhopal.

The worst-ever industrial disaster had taken place at the Union Carbide plant on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984.

According to government data, over Rs 3,000 crore has been given as compensation in 5,295 cases of death, 4,902 cases of permanent disability, 5,27,894 cases of minor injury and 35,455 cases related to temporary disability among others.

Earlier, in an interview to PTI, one of the firm's representatives had said it would require over 4,000 special containers approved by the United Nations as well as trained experts for the job.

"We need about 4,000-4,500 UN approved containers of 120 liters each. These containers would be purchased. All waste products will be carefully packed and sealed before shifting them to Germany," GIZ International Services' Regional Director for South Asia Hans-H Dube had said.

He had said that a decision was yet to be made about where to dispose the hazardous waste.