The government will spend Rs 30 crore in removing 346 tonnes of toxic waste from the Bhopal gas tragedy site, over 25 years after the deadly industrial disaster took place.

The waste will be taken to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-controlled incineration facility near Nagpur, Maharashtra.

“The toxic waste of 346 MT has been kept safely in a secured godown within the premises of the erstwhile M/s Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) at Bhopal... The DRDO has agreed to undertake safe disposal of toxic waste currently lying at the erstwhile UCIL, Bhopal in its incineration facility at Borkhedi near Nagpur,” the Ministry of Environment and Forest said in reply to an RTI query.

“The sole responsibility of safe transportation of toxic waste from Bhopal to the DRDO facility will be that of the Government of Madhya Pradesh,” it said.

According to a Government data, compensation of over Rs 3,000 crore has been given in 5,295 cases of death, 4,902 for sustaining permanent disability, 5,27,894 cases of minor injury and 35,455 related to temporary disability among others.

The disaster took place at the Union Carbide plant on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984.

“The total cost for the incineration of the toxic waste would be Rs 30 crore excluding the cost of transportation of waste from Bhopal to the DRDO incineration facility at Borkhedi near Nagpur,” it said in reply to an RTI application.

“Till date, no waste has been removed from the UCIL site as the matter is under sub judice of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh,” the reply said.

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