Tributes Paid to Bhopal Gas Tragedy Victims as MP CM Remembers That Night
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Bhopal, Dec 3 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, commemorated the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy as the 40th anniversary was observed on Tuesday.
In a press interaction, the Chief Minister reflected on that fateful night (the night of December 3, 1984), mentioning that he was at an MLA's guest house along with several BJP workers.
"It has been 40 years since the tragic incident of the gas tragedy. I was present in Bhopal on that day. I had never witnessed a tragedy of such magnitude as the one that Bhopal and the world experienced that day. I extend my heartfelt tribute to the departed souls on this anniversary of the gas tragedy," he stated.
He further emphasized that his government is actively engaged in efforts to safely dispose of the hazardous waste that remains within the factory site.
Located over 85 acres in the old area of Bhopal, the Union Carbide factory site evokes a haunting atmosphere with its crumbling structures and overgrown vegetation, remnants of an unparalleled disaster that led to thousands of deaths and immense suffering.
In addition to the toxic chemicals contaminating the surrounding waters, it is particularly ironic that one of the three iron tanks (Tank - E610), which malfunctioned and caused the release of the lethal MIC gas, leading to the deaths of approximately 3,000 individuals within hours, still stands at the entrance of the deserted factory.
Reports indicate that the Bhopal UCIL facility contained three underground storage tanks designed for 68,000 liters of liquid MIC, specifically named E610, E611, and E612.
Despite numerous court mandates and warnings, authorities have failed to safely dispose of the hazardous waste. The central government allocated Rs 126 crore to the Madhya Pradesh government to implement strategies for disposing of the 337 MT of toxic waste that was collected and stored at the factory site back in 2005.
A committee appointed by the Centre in 2010 noted in its report that, in addition to the 337 MT of hazardous waste, the factory site also holds around 11 lakh tonnes of contaminated soil, one tonne of mercury, and nearly 150 tonnes of underground dumps. Currently, the government lacks a definitive plan for managing these extensive materials.
