CPCB Report on removal of contamination of ground water in UCC’s Bhopal plant

To

Smt. Mira Mehrishi
Chairperson
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
Additional Secretary
Union Ministry of Environment & Forests
Government of India
Parivesh Bhawan,
East Arjun Nagar
Delhi - 110 032

Subject- CPCB Report on removal of contamination of ground water in UCC’s Bhopal plant area & compliance with Supreme Court Order dated April 19, 2012 and March 28, 2012

Madam,

This is to draw your attention towards the order dated April 19, 2012 by the bench of Hon’ble Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice J. Chelameswar wherein it directed, “the Central Pollution Control Board is given time to file its composite report by 4th June, 2012.”

I submit that the deadline of June 4, 2012 was with reference to court’s directions dated March 28, 2012 in I.A. No.43 of 2007 in Writ Petition (Civil)No. 657 of 1995. The order reads: “The Central Pollution Control Board, which has been added as party to these proceedings, and represented in Court today, shall also file a report with regard to the removal of contamination of the ground water in the area where Union Carbide factory/plant is situated.” Both the orders are enclosed.

I am one of the applicants in the hazardous wastes case [Writ Petition (Civil) No. 657 of 1995]. I am pursuing the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)’s Bhopal disaster case as part of my academic research.

I submit that although the deadline has been over by more than a month, the report with regard to the removal of contamination of the ground water in the area where UCC’s factory/plant is situated has not yet been filed.

I submit that with regard to the same only those samples of the ground water in the area where Union Carbide factory/plant can be considered relevant and valid which have been taken prior to the rains before July 5, 2012.

I wish to inform you that the report in question is of huge significance and involves public interest. This will reveal the status of the adverse impact of industrial disaster in UCC’s Bhopal chemical pesticide plant. All the environmental and human rights groups concerned with the issue are anxiously waiting for the report.

I submit that so far all the public institutions have failed to come to the rescue of the victims of the environmental and public health disaster. I am quite confident that you can resist all undue influences which may be working to ensure that this report on contamination of ground water is not filed in time. The filing of this report is urgently required else the court may issue contempt notice for non-compliance with its order.

In view of the above, I urge you to kindly ensure that CPCB submits its report latest by July 31, 2012.


Thanking You

Yours Sincerely
Gopal Krishna
Convener
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
New Delhi
PIN. 110016
Phone: +91-11-26517814, Fax: +91-11-26517814
Mb: 9818089660
E-mail-krishna1715@gmail.com
Web: toxicswatch.blogspot.com

Cc

Shri J. S. Kamyotra, Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board
Shri Vijay Panjwani, Advocate for CPCB Supreme Court
Shri Sanjay Parikh, Advocate, Supreme Court