After the Supreme Court’s nod to the authorities on April 4 to go ahead with a test incineration of the toxic waste of Bhopal’s abandoned Union Carbide factory at Pithampur near Indore, there is new twist to the toxic waste disposal issue as Union minister for rural development, drinking water and sanitation Jairam Ramesh has written a fresh letter to home minister and chairman, group of ministers on Bhopal, Mr P. Chidamabaram asking that the proposal by GIZ, a German government agency, for incinerating the toxic waste at Hamburg in Germany should be considered.
Mr Jairam Ramesh has said in his letter (April 19, 2012) to Mr Chidambaram, with copies marked to minister of state for environment and forest Jayanthi Natarajan and Madhya Pradesh minister for urban administration and development Babulal Gaur, that he has received from Ms Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group for Information and Action the copy of the letter from GIZ to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board regarding the disposal of approximately 250 tonnes of waste.
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BJP demands Harin raval’s resignation
Age Correspondent
NEW DELHI, APRIL 24
Insisting that the entire nation was “shocked and anguished” over Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Harin Raval’s submission in the Supereme Court that Italian ship Enrica Lexie, involved in firing on Kerala fishermen, was not within Indian waters, the main Opposition BJP on Tuesday demanded Mr Raval’s sacking.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, BJP member Balbir Punj wanted to know under whose diktat ASG acted and how his submission meant that Indian courts have no jurisdiction to try the case since the alleged incident happened when the ship was in international waters.
The BJP member said ASG’s submission that the state had no right even to file FIR, has contradicted the stand of the Kerala government which held that India has every legal competence to try the case under its law.
Shouting slogans “shame shame,” BJP members demanded Mr Raval’s resignation.