Tata FAQ #16: How do survivors and the organizations supporting them propose the clean-up of the abandoned factory site should be done?

The central government must provide the resources necessary to:
1. Identify specific strategies for containment and remediation of contaminated soil and ground water at different locations within and outside the factory and the Solar Evaporation Ponds. Contain chemical waste and contaminated soil from the factory premises and Solar Evaporation Landfill in suitable containers labeling each container with description of contained material and its chemical analysis.
2. Identify strategies for protecting neighbourhood population from hazards during containment of chemical waste and contaminated soil.
3. Identify specific strategies for decontaminating the Sevin and MIC plants and for conserving the structures following necessary repairs to retain them as part of the memorial to the disaster for future generations
4. Identify strategies for shipment of contained material to the United States for disposal through appropriate methods.
5. Force Dow Chemical to pay for all assessment, containment, removal, remediation, and shipping of toxic material left by its subsidiary Union Carbide.
The Survivors and Organizations that support them have methodically drawn out the following Road Map to Remediation and Justice:
A. Review
1. Review and scientific assessment of “containment” work – including aspects of offsite/onsite monitoring, safety of workers and communities, adherence to internationally established best practices for such activities carried out within UCIL, Bhopal factory premises between May 31, 2005 to June 22, 2005.
2. Review of scientific studies on hazardous chemical waste carried out by Union Carbide, government research agencies and non-government organizations from 1989 onwards and bringing different sets of data together for a comprehensive picture of toxic pollution in and around the Union Carbide factory.
3. Critique of various studies, including those carried out by NEERI and IICT, with a view to establishing quality of science, veracity of information and integrity of conclusions.
B. Assessment
1. Assessment of damages caused to workers and neighbourhood residents due to exposure to toxic dust and to the local environment as a result of mishandling of hazardous material within UCIL , Bhopal factory premises between May 31, 2005 to June 22, 2005.
2. Scientific assessment of the nature of contaminants in the ground water at different depths up to at least 100 meters and at least up to 3 kilometers from the factory and Solar Evaporation Ponds. Assessment of the rate of spread of pollution plume, and the distance beyond 3 km to which the pollution may have spread.
3. Geological and hydro-geological mapping of the land up to at least 100 meters depth and at least up to 3 kilometers from the factory and Solar Evaporation Ponds.
4. Scientific assessment of the concentration and toxicity of chemicals and chemical waste on the surface and at different depths within the Union Carbide factory premises.
5. Conduct epidemiological studies for determination of potential and actual health damages caused to the residents and their unborn children as a result of exposure to contaminated ground water and soil in the neighbourhood of the Union Carbide factory.
6. Conduct baseline study before commencing remediation operations to establish parameters that can be monitored during and after remediation to assess the quality and efficacy of the remediation operations.
C. Rectification
1. Affixation of civil and criminal liability for damages caused to workers and neighbourhood residents due to exposure to toxic dust and to the local environment as a result of mishandling of hazardous material within UCIL , Bhopal factory premises between May 31, 2005 to June 22, 2005.
2. Judicial action against consultants, particularly CSIR agencies, if found to have engaged in unscientific procedures, or propagating wrongful information or conclusions.
3. Appropriate judicial action against concerned government officials and ministers after calling for explanations from the State and Union government for misleading information and deliberate neglect towards monitoring the health status of and provision of adequate medical care to the people affected by ground water and soil contamination.
D. Planning
1. Identify specific strategies for containment of soil contaminated with specific chemicals at different locations within and outside the factory and the Solar Evaporation Ponds based on information gathered through; A2, B3 and B4.
2. Identify specific strategies for decontaminating the Sevin and MIC plants and for conserving the structures following necessary repairs to retain them as part of the memorial to the disaster for future generations.
3. Identify specific strategies for containment and remediation of contaminated ground water within and outside the factory and the Solar Evaporation Ponds based on information gathered through; A2, B2 and B3.
4. Identify strategies for protecting neighbourhood population from hazards during containment of chemical waste and contaminated soil.
5. Identify strategies for provision of appropriate medical care to the people affected by ground water and soil contamination and protecting the health and lives of their unborn children.
6. Identify strategies for remediation of land following removal of contaminated soil and chemicals waste from different locations within and outside the factory and the Solar Evaporation Ponds.
7. Identify strategies for shipment of contained material to USA or other OECD nation for disposal through appropriate methods.
8. Explore options to direct Government of India to seek assistance from the United Nations Environment Program under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that provide for technical assistance for remediation and disposal of POPs or POPs-contaminated material.
E. Containment
1. Contain chemical waste and contaminated soil from the factory premises and Solar Evaporation Landfill in suitable containers labeling each container with description of contained material and its chemical analysis.
2. Construct suitable above-ground tanks, with requisite monitoring systems, for safe keeping the containers with chemical waste and contaminated soil within the factory premises. Provide for community oversight of site maintenance.
F. Remediation
1. Remediation of land following removal of contaminated soil and chemicals waste from different locations within and outside the factory and the Solar Evaporation Ponds.
2. Remediation of ground water through appropriate strategies developed in D3.

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