Decision on disposal of toxic waste soon: Chidambaram

Bhopal, Jun 5 (PTI) Talks are on with a German firm for disposal of toxic waste left at the Union Carbide plant in the aftermath of the 1984 disaster after Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra declined to allow its destruction in their territory, Home Minister P Chidambaram said today. Chidambaram, who heads the Group of Ministers on Bhopal, told reporters that the Madhya Pradesh government was in talks with German company GIZ International which had shown interest in disposal of the waste. GIZ International has come forward with a proposal to airlift the toxic waste and dispose it of in Germany. The state government will soon make a presentation before the Centre on the issue and seek its final nod, he said. The GoM, also comprising Union ministers Salman Khurshid and V Narayanasamy, is here to meet Bhopal gas victims and activists today, after the Supreme Court asked it last month to take a decision on the disposal of toxic waste left in the aftermath of the disaster in 1984 which had claimed thousands of lives. "The Centre had spoken to the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra but all of them refused to allow disposal of the toxic waste," the Home Minister, who later visited the Bhopal memorial hospital, constituted for gas tragedy victims, said. Chidambaram said at first the disposal was meant to be done at Ankleshwar in Gujarat, then at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh and later on at Taluja in Maharashtra. However, the disposal could not be carried out at any of these places due to opposition from the respective state governments. More PTI MAS AS GK SK