Will ensure safe disposal of defunct Union Carbide waste: Javadekar

Indore, Dec 27: A plan is being charted out for the safe disposal of toxic waste lying at the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, the gas leakage from where killed more than 25,000 people in December 1984, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

"We are working on a plan for safe disposal of the waste from the Union Carbide factory," he told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.

"All precautionary measures will be taken into account to dispose of the toxic waste. All steps will be taken to resolve this problem," the Environment Minister said.

Even after three decades of the world's worst industrial disaster in Bhopal, the toxic waste weighing several tonnes and lying dumped in the Union Carbide factory there, has not been disposed of.

There was a plan to incinerate the dump in Dhar district's Pithampur area, but it could not happen due to protests from NGOs which fear that the disposal will cause air pollution and adversely affect the huge human settlements around the area.

Meanwhile, Javadekar said that efforts are on to check the growing pollution in the country, and to improve the quality of fuel and vehicles so as to make them environment- friendly.

Rules are also being made to check the dust pollution caused due to building construction work, he said, adding that they might be put in place next month.

When asked about the practicality of the Delhi government's proposed 'odd-even scheme' to put a check on the movement of cars from January 1 in order to control pollution, Javadekar said he will comment on it only once the exercise starts.

PTI