Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Chief minister Mohan Yadav visited the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) plant site here on Saturday. This was the first time when any CM visited the UCC plant in past 40 years of Bhopal Gas Tragedy. This biggest industrial disaster in the world had occurred in 1984.
He visited the site without any mask, conveying the message that now the UCC plant site was safe after disposal of chemical waste.
He said that the state government would undertake development work, including the construction of a memorial in the complex, under the guidance of the court. All parties would be consulted and taken into confidence. The state government would work for the reconstruction of this area.
The CM took stock of the site after disposal of 350 MT dumped chemicals. He said that the comprehensive development and reconstruction of the premises would now be undertaken, with decisions made in consultation with the community and affected parties.
The CM also accused the Congress of leaving Bhopal to die. He blamed the previous Congress government for leaving the UCC plant abandoned for 40 years and also criticized the then Congress government for allowing the factory owner Warren Anderson to escape.
Rahul Gandhi should tender an apology for it as the Bhopal gas tragedy is a blot on the Congress, he said.
The CM said that the current government, using modern scientific methods, had disposed of the toxic waste, ensuring complete environmental and human safety.
Toxic waste at the factory was disposed of under the guidance of the high court.
He said after the gas tragedy, the then government committed a grave act of negligence by abandoning the area. Congress government did not take any decision to remove the toxic waste spread in the factory and the site was closed after this horrific tragedy. He said that even when the UPA government was in power at the Centre, nothing was done for the development of this gas-affected region.
