The defunct Union Carbide will be opened for public from next month, 25 years after the gas leak from it killed and maimed thousands of people, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Babulal Gaur, 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 the disaster,” he said.
Mr. 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. However, he said that people would not be allowed to enter the Factory unit which once manufactured pesticides, adding the visitors can see it from a distance.
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“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,” Mr. Gaur said.
The State has plans to construct boundary wall around the factory to keep off encroachers, he added.