Clarion India

NEW DELHI — The National Human Rights Commission has highlighted seriousness and a danger to the health of the surivors of Bhopal gas tragedy as tonnes of hazardous waste is still lying at the site of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.

NHRC chairperson justice Arun Kumar Mishra (retd) said on Saturday that delay in the disposal of waste material lying on the site contaminates groundwater and soil which is a “direct abuse” of the right to health of survivors and locals.

He said this while addressing a Human Rights Day event in New Delhi hosted by the National Human Rights Commission on Saturday.

Mr Mishra said that one outfall of globalisation is the concentration of wealth in transnational companies and a few countries.

“For calamities caused by industrial disasters, transnational enterprises’ responsibilities have to be well defined,” the NHRC chief asserted, reports PTI.

He cited the Bhopal gas tragedy which took place at a plant of a global company in Bhopal in 1984, considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. The multinational company, Union Carbide, faced global criticism following the tragedy.

The NHRC chief cited the Bhopal gas tragedy which took place at a plant of a global company in Bhopal in 1984, considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. The multinational company, Union Carbide, faced global criticism following the tragedy.

“The property changed hands. Delay in the disposal of such hazardous waste by a multinational company contaminates groundwater and soil and is a direct abuse of the right to health of the survivors and residents of the area,” he added.