The government has taken some appropriate steps for clearing 346 tons of toxic waste lying in the premises of a factory of the Union Carbide, responsible for Bhopal Gas Tragedy as per the implementation schedule approved by the Union Cabinet, the responsibility for disposal of 346 MT toxic waste lying in the Union Carbide premises has been entrusted to the Government of Madhya Pradesh. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has constituted an Oversight Committee to provide oversight and support to the Government of Madhya Pradesh in this regard. On the request of Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has agreed to undertake the safe disposal of toxic waste in its incineration facility located at Borkhedi near Nagpur. Further action in the matter is dependent upon the grant of authorization to the DRDO incinerator facility and interstate transportation No Objection Certificate to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board as required under the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling & Transboundary Movement) Rules 2008. This matter is also sub judice in the Hon’ble High Court of Jabalpur at Madhya Pradesh.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (I/C)Smt Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question By Shri Ishwarlal Shankarlal Jain in Rajya Sabha Today.