Bhopal: The premises of the defunct Union
Carbide factory will be opened for public from next month, 25
years after the gas leak from it killed and maimed thousands
of people, a senior minister said today.
"Union Carbide factory premises will be thrown open for
public in January. The date of opening has not been finalised
yet. The state also has plans to build Hiroshima-like memorial
there depicting detailed account of the disaster," Bhopal Gas
Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Babulal Gaur said.
However, he informed that the people would not be allowed
to enter the factory unit which once manufactured pesticides,
adding the visitors can see it from a distance.
"The Madhya Pradesh High Court gave permission to open
the factory premises last week but given the code of conduct
in place for the forthcoming civic elections, we have decided
to open it from January," Gaur told PTI.
The state has plans to construct boundary wall around the
factory to keep off encroachers, he added.
Gaur, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, said the
state government has sought Rs 116 crore from the Centre to
build a memorial for the victims in the factory premises
spread over an area of 67 acres.
He said that the state wants to build a memorial of
international standard akin to the one in Hiroshima in Japan,
depicting detailed account of one of the worst industrial
disaster.
PTI
