By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: About 350 tons of toxic wastes strewn in and around the abandoned Union Carbide pesticide factory ever since the occurrence of industrial disaster, can be disposed of by the Defense Research and Development Organization, (DRDO). It is believed that DRDO can easily destroy the waste materials without posing any threat to environment.
The decisions to this effect was announced by the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Mr. Jairam Ramesh while interacting with newspersons after a meeting of the Oversight Committee held at Directorate of Gas Relief here on Wednesday. The Minister Defense Minister in this regard.
Union Envioronment Minister Jairam Ramesh making a point to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal
It may be mentioned here that the Committee has been constituted by the Central Government with a view to dealing with environmental damaged caused by gas tragedy. The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh amid the presence of Gas Tragedy, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Babulal Gaur and Environment and Water Resources Minister Jayant Malaiya. Besides, scientists from Union Environment Ministry, State Government, Central Pollution Control Board, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Mrs. Rashida Bi of Gas Victims Organizations were also present.
It was decided at the Oversight Committee meeting that a symposium would be organized by the Madhya Pradesh State Government in the forthcoming month. An open discussion will be held on the recommendations of Peer Review Committee constituted for disposal of tons of toxic wastes of Union Carbide. The decisions will be taken after the conclusion of symposium. Representatives of voluntary organizations, intellectuals and citizens will be invited to take part in the symposium.
The Union Minister informed that reports on chemical waste of Union Carbide by National Environmental Engineer Research Institute, (NEERI), and I.I.C.T were sent to 50 scientists, institutes and Peer Review Committee for final conclusion. A total of 32 reports including that of Peer Review Committee have been received. The final decisions will be taken after the conclusion at symposium proposed to be organized at Bhopal.
Besides, the Madhya Pradesh State Government will invite global tenders for the appointment of independent contractor to search out 350 metric ton toxic waste in Union Carbide and strewn around 70 acre in the compound. Central Pollution Control Board will send its recommendations after selecting contractor. Central Pollution Control Board will draft bid. The Board will also test garbage buried before and after disaster and ground water.
Mr. Jairam Ramesh informed that a proposal from DRDO has been received for the disposal of 350 metric tonnes of toxic wastes in Union Carbide. It will take two years for entire disposal. After the discussions with Defense Minister, it will be decided as to how to transport the chemical waste to the DRDO centre 80 km away from Nagpur city.
It may be mentioned here that the ghost of disposing off the toxic waste is haunting the Madhya Pradesh Government, the survivors of the gas tragedy and the NGOs working for them alike. The Government is concerned only about the 350 MT stocked in the go-down of the factory. While the survivors and the NGOs are very much perturbed over the enormous quantity of the waste amounting to 18,000 to 25,000 MT or may be even more spread in the campus of the factory and in the solar evaporation ponds which has leeched into the soil and contaminated drinking water reserves of the people living in the vicinity. There is an urgent need to detoxify the soil in order to stop contamination of water.
The point of contention is how to dispose off this toxic waste without harming the environment and the populace together with carrying it this highly poisonous material safely to any far off disposal site ruling out possibility of any mishap. The huge cost involved to carry out this operation is another overriding factor. If the enormous quantity of the waste amounting to 18,000 to 25,000 MT spread in the campus of the factory and in the solar evaporation ponds is taken up then the cost would be mind boggling. ([email protected])