A
law ministry note in 2008 clearly said that Dow Chemicals is liable for
cleaning up the toxic Bhopal site. Despite this, Dow Chemicals claimed
that the Indian government gave it an assurance that it is not liable
for the clean-up.
The law ministry note says:
"The
ministry of law... has observed that irrespective of the manner in which
UCC has merged or has been acquired by Dow Chemicals, if there is any
legal liability, it would have to be borne by Dow Chemicals."
However,
Dow spokesman Scot Wheeler told NDTV on Sunday that Dow Chemical has
never had any presence in Bhopal nor does the company have
responsibility for any liability relating to Bhopal.
Wheeler says
Dow has sympathy for the victims and the solution to their problem was
in the hands of the Indian central and state governments.
He also
said that when Dow acquired the shares of Union Carbide Corporation in
2001, it was with the understanding that Union Carbide had settled its
civil liability with the Indian Government.
