Toxic waste of Bhopal gas tragedy to be disposed of in 72 days, says MP govt

The toxic waste of the now-defunct Union Carbide plant in Bhopal can be disposed of at the incineration facility in Pithampur in 72 days at the rate of 270 kg per hour.

This was submitted to the high court by the state government, a senior officer dealing with the matter told this newspaper.

The MP government has submitted to the high court the reports of trial disposal of 30 tons of toxic waste, done in three phases in the Pithampur facility, saying that no harm to the environment was noticed during the process, the senior government officer said, unwilling to be quoted.

The state government indicated to the high court the process of disposal of the remaining toxic waste of the Bhopal gas tragedy may begin within five days, the officer said.

The division bench of the Jabalpur high court comprising Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain ordered the government to strictly follow all environmental and safety regulations while disposing of the waste.

Responding to various public interest litigations (PILs) in connection with the issue, the court emphasized the urgency of resolving the 40-year-old toxic waste issue and asked the objecting parties to submit their suggestions to the state government on their safe disposal.

The court has set the next date of hearing in the case to June 30.

In its petition filed in the court, Bhopal Group of Information and Action (BGIA) apprehended that the proposed incineration would only triple the amount of the waste and open scope for leaching in the future.

“That’s why we are saying that there are better ways of disposal”, activist Rachna Dhingra submitted before the court.

Around 337 tons of the toxic waste were shifted in a dozen sealed containers from the site of the now-closed Union Carbide plant in Bhopal to Pithampur for their disposal, on January three following a directive to the effect by the Madhya Pradesh high court on December three last year.

Three trial disposals were done in the facility with the state pollution control board monitoring the air quality and other environmental parameters during the period.

Leakage of methyl isocyanate in the Union Carbide’s pesticide plant here on the intervening night of December two-three, 1984 led to the killing of over 5,000 people and serious illness to thousands of others.