40 yrs after Bhopal tragedy, Union Carbide's waste set for disposal

Bhopal: In a significant development, 377 tons of hazardous waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal have been packed and loaded onto trucks, preparing for transport to a designated disposal site. This waste, sealed and ready for shipment, will be moved approximately 250 km away to the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district, near Indore.

A fleet of 12 container trucks is set to begin the journey by midnight on Wednesday. A green corridor will be established along the route to ensure the smooth transportation of the hazardous material, officials said.

Swatantra Kumar Singh, Director of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, shared that 100 workers, working in shifts of 30 minutes, have been packing the waste since Sunday. Each worker underwent health check-ups and was given rest at regular intervals to ensure their safety during the process.

This action comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court criticized authorities for their delay in clearing the Union Carbide site, despite instructions from the Supreme Court. The court warned that continued inaction could result in another tragedy. The hazardous waste includes remnants of the highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas that leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory on the night of December 2-3, 1984. The leak led to the deaths of at least 5,479 people and caused long-term health issues for thousands, marking it as one of the world's worst industrial disasters.

Singh also confirmed that the waste would be incinerated within three months if no issues arise during transportation. However, the process could extend up to nine months depending on the conditions. If everything is found to be in order, the incineration will take place at Pithampur’s disposal unit, with the resulting ash being thoroughly examined for any remaining harmful substances. If the tests are successful, the ash will be covered with a two-layer membrane and buried to prevent contamination of the soil and water.

To ensure environmental safety, the smoke from the incinerator will pass through specialized four-layer filters to minimize air pollution. The entire process will be supervised by experts from the Central Pollution Control Board and the State Pollution Control Board.

The move to dispose of the waste follows earlier testing in 2015 when 10 tons of Union Carbide waste were incinerated in Pithampur. Following this trial, local activists reported pollution of soil, underground water, and surrounding water sources, but Singh denied the claims. He assured that the decision to use Pithampur as the disposal site was based on a comprehensive review of the 2015 trial, with all objections thoroughly examined.

Despite these assurances, the decision has faced resistance from local residents. On Sunday, a large group of people marched in protest against the disposal of Union Carbide waste in Pithampur, a city with a population of approximately 175,000.

With PTI inputs