German firm, GIZ backs out of Bhopal waste clean-up project
18 Sep 2012
In what comes as a major setback for Bhopal, a German firm hired by the government of India to clean 350 tonnes of toxic waste lying at the Union Carbide plant for over 28 years, has pulled out of the project, according to reports today.
The German state-owned enterprise GIZ cited the highly hazardous nature of the waste for not undertaking the task for which it was to be paid $ 4.5 million.
The disaster, which hit the plant in 1984 killed 15,000 people.
The company said its decision was prompted by negative media coverage in Germany. The chemical waste it had undertaken to clean up was from the period prior to the 1984 disaster.
The government decision on the disposal of the toxic waste near the now-defunct plant in Bhopal plant came after intense public outcry and pressure from the victims and activists.
Government data states that over Rs3,000 crore had been disbursed by way of compensation in 5,295 cases of death, 4,902 cases of permanent disability, 5,27,894 cases of minor injury as also 35,455 cases related to temporary disability among others.
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