Question : Spread of Contamination in Ground Water

(a) whether the Union Government is aware that the contamination of ground water from the toxic waste of the Union Carbide plant has spread to many more localities of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh;

(b) if so, the facts and details in this regard;

(c) whether the Union Government in association with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation proposes to formulate any policy to check the spread of the said contamination as well as to take other steps to completely remove contamination in the ground water with the help of any of the foreign agency; and

(d) if so, the details in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) & (b) National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) was engaged by Government of Madhya Pradesh to prepare a report on “ Assessment and Revalidation of Hazardous waste contaminated areas” in and around M/s UCIL, Bhopal. Later Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) engaged Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Lucknow to revalidate the report of NEERI, Nagpur. As per the reports of NEERI and IITR, Lucknow contamination of ground water above the permissible levels has been reported in some wells outside Union Carbide plant premises.

As per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, a Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Justice of Hon’ble High Court, Jabalpur was constituted to identify habitations affected with ground water contamination. The Monitoring Committee had identified 22 habitations affected with ground water contamination in the vicinity of Union Carbide plant. As per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, piped water supply has been provided in the 22 affected habitations.

The NEERI report indicates that source of contamination of groundwater in these wells cannot be attributed to leaching of contaminants from the dumped waste and migration of aquifer. However, the groundwater contamination of these wells may be attributed to surface runoff from the dumps.

(c) & (d) There is no such proposal at present.


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