The Union Cabinet has postponed taking a decision to dispose of 350 metric tonnes of Bhopal toxic waste in the Union Carbide factory to Germany. Even though Madhya Pradesh Bhopal gas tragedy, relief and rehabilitation minister Babulal Gaur had asked the GoM under the chairmanship of home mnister P. Chidambaram to prepare an agreement with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) to have the waste airlifted from Bhopal at a cost of `25 crores to be borne by the centre, the state government has now approached GIZ seeking certain “clarifications”.
Some grey areas include who will bear the risk in case a transportation accident occurs on German soil whch is located 6400 km away from the accident site. GIZ in its presentation to the state government had pointed out that the “current owner remains responsible for the waste until its its final disposal”. Sources in GIZ pointed out that they will be responding to the state government’s queries at the earliest. It is only when the state government gives the green signal on the disposal of the toxic waste that the Centre can take a decision.
German’s federal ministry for economic cooperation and development, which GIZ answers to, had also green signalled the project. But sources in GIZ point out that they will put out a European tender for the incineration contract only after they receive a confirmation of the contract from the state government.
According to tests conducted by GIZ experts, the soil contians chlorine, mercury and heavy metals. The GIZ team wants to collect this toxic material, seal it in airtight containers and then fly it to Germany between the months of October to March.