25 yrs later, MP Govt to open Union Carbide factory for public

Bhopal, Nov 13 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh government will
throw open to public the now defunct Union Carbide factory on
the 25th anniversary of the gas tragedy killing around 3,500
people but the move has been slammed as a "publicity stunt".

The factory which has been shut since the tragedy on the
intervening night of Dec 2-3, 1984 will remain open for a week
from November 20.
Thousands of persons were maimed for life when tonnes of
Methyl Iso Cyanate (MIC) and other lethal gases spewed out of
the Union Carbide Corporation’s pesticide plant here exposing
over 5,00,000 people to the toxic fumes.
A decision to allow public to visit the plant was taken
by the State government recently, official sources said today.
The organisations working for the gas victims flayed
the government's decision calling it a publicity stunt to try
to convince people there is nothing dangerous in the factory
site. The move also violated court orders, they said.
State Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Ministe Babulal Gaur
said the government can extend the period for public visits to
show that there was nothing dangerous at the factory site any
more.
But the NGOs are not impressed voicing fears of dangers
to humans.
Rachna Dhingra of International Campaign for Justice in
Bhopal said, "More than 10 governmental and non-governmental
studies have confirmed the presence of highly toxic chemicals
in the soil and environment of the factory site."
Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila-Purush Sangarsh Morcha leader,
Syed M Irfan said the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government
are using the 25th anniversary of the Gas tragedy as an
occasion to bury the disaster along with all the pending
liabilities.(MORE) PTI AS
DDC



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