UpdateMinister's Dow/Bhopal stance sparks anger

03 July 2007 17:45  [Source: ICIS news]

(Adds quotes from Dow in paragraphs 6 and 7)

MUMBAI (ICIS news)--Campaign groups for victims of the 1984 Bhopal disaster have reacted angrily to a statement by the Indian industry minister saying the incident would not affect Dow Chemical’s investments in the country.

Members of the Bhopal Group of Information and Action said Dow’s liability flows from the ‘polluter pays’ principle, which applies both in India and the US.

"As 100% owner of Union Carbide, Dow is liable for the clean-up of the toxic contamination of the soil, ground water and the health damages, including congenital malformations, caused to the 25,000 people living around that area," said group member Satinath Sarangi.

"When Dow acquired Union Carbide, it became liable for the contamination and clean-up at Bhopal and the Indian government as custodians must take responsibility for making Dow pay," said Madhumita Dutta from the international campaign for justice in Bhopal.

Kamal Nath, union commerce and industry minister, spoke about Dow's current investments at an event in Washington DC last week.

"The tragedy was at Union Carbide and Dow by integration inherited (it). Union Carbide-Dow themselves had no status in this. So, Dow's investments are not affected by that. Of course with the court cases, the court procedures will continue. But we like to see this resolved and to see that this chapter is put behind us," Nath said.

A Dow Chemical spokesman said in all of Dow’s communications regarding Bhopal, including with the Indian Government, the company had stated Dow’s position that it never owned or operated the plant site involved and, as such, had no responsibility or liability for the site.

“The Indian Government understands that this was not a Dow plant and that Dow do not have any liability related to the matter,” he said.

“This site is in the hands of the State Government of Madhya Pradesh. It owns the site, and together with the central Government, it has the responsibility for site clean-up.”

He said Dow Chemical looked forward to being part of India's continued economic development.

Bharuch Environ Infrastructure Limited (BEIL) was to dispose around 350 tonnes of the Bhopal toxic waste at its in Ankaleshwar facility in the state of Gujarat. But environmentalists objected to the disposal and said BEIL was not up to the task.

In the December 1984 tragedy, a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, vented methyl isocyanate, killing nearly 4,000 people. Since then a total of 22,000 have died as a result of chemical exposure and another 100,000 continue to suffer toxic effects, according to Amnesty International USA .

In 1989, Union Carbide paid US$470 million in compensation to victims and said responsibility for the cleanup lay with officials.

Michigan-based Dow Chemical acquired Union Carbide in 2001. Dow has always insisted it bore no responsibility or liability for the accident.

 

By: Divya Chowdhury
+65 6780 4359

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