The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo moto cognisance of a report published by The Hindu that hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste on the premises of Bhopal gas tragedy site have not been disposed of by authorities, even after 39 years of the accident, leading to contamination of groundwater.
Stating that the new report raises “substantial issue” relating to compliance of the environmental laws, the NGT issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, the Central Ground Water Authority, the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, and the Central Pollution Control Board.
“This original application is registered in suo-moto exercise of power on the basis of the news item titled “Battling water woes in land of tragedy” published in The Hindu dated 03.12.2023. The news item relates to contamination of ground water in Bhopal after the gas release tragedy of 1984,” the NGT said in an order.
