Protests Erupt in Pithampur Over Rumours of Union Carbide Waste Disposal
BHOPAL: Rumours over commencement of disposal of Union Carbide waste in Pithampur facility in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday triggered fresh protests in the industrial town even as chief minister Mohan Yadav declared that the government would apprise the court of people’s sentiment in this regard.
Mr Yadav further announced that the disposal of the Union Carbide waste in the Pithampur facility would be kept on hold till the court issues the order.
“No further action will be taken till the court’s order”, he asserted.
Mr Yadav held an emergency meeting around midnight on Friday here to take stock of the situation.
“I appeal to the people not to believe in rumours. The Union Carbide waste was only dumped (in Pithampur) and not disposed of”, Mr Yadav said after the meeting which was also attended by two deputy chief ministers, Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla, state urban development minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma, top officials from administration and police, and legal experts.
“The state government will protect the interest of the people at any cost. We will move the court to apprise of people’s sentiments and it has been decided to keep on hold the disposal of the Union Carbide waste till the court’s order”, he said.
Mr Yadav said that the meeting discussed various aspects of the work related to dumping of Union Carbide waste which was shifted to Pithampur facility for incineration in the 12 GPS-enabled trucks on January three from the abandoned plant of the company here.
“Our government gives top priority to public interest. Therefore, we have always moved forward with public interest in mind. In compliance with the Supreme Court’s instructions and the High Court’s order, the Union Carbide wastes have been transported to Pithampur”, he said.
Mr Yadav said that the toxic waste was only transported to Pithampur while complying with the safety parameters in line with the petitions and the court orders.
The court had set the deadline for the waste to be sent to the designated place by January four and the court expected its report by January six.
The midnight emergency meeting came in the wake of two men attempting self-immolation while protesting the planned disposal of the waste in Pithampur facility on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, rumours of the waste being unloaded from the trucks for disposal at the incineration facility in Pithampur started making rounds in the industrial town triggering fresh protests by people on Saturday.
A large group of women gathered near the Pithampur waste disposal facility and started pelting stones at the policemen deployed there, leaving several vehicles damaged.
However, police promptly acted and dispersed them.
“Rumours are being spread that the Union Carbide wastes have been unloaded from the trucks. There is no such move and the containers with the waste are in our custody. I appeal to people not to believe in such rumours and maintain peace”, local tehsildar Anita Baretha said.
