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Toxic waste from Bhopal Gas Tragedy finally being cleared after 4 decades

Forty years after a deadly industrial disaster in Bhopal—the capital of Madhya Pradesh—that killed over 5,000 people, workers have started removing 377 tonnes of hazardous waste from the abandoned factory for disposal, an official said.

On the night of December 2, 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory at Bhopal, killing at least 5,479 people and causing long-term health problems for thousands.

The toxic waste is now being transported in sealed trucks from Bhopal to the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district, 250 kilometres away.

“Twelve container trucks carrying the waste set off on a non-stop journey. A green corridor has been created for the vehicles, which are expected to reach the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district in seven hours,” said Swatantra Kumar Singh, director of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department.

He said around 100 people worked in 30-minute shifts since Sunday to pack and load the waste onto trucks, adding that they underwent regular health check-ups. “If everything is found to be fine, the waste will be incinerated within three months. Otherwise, it might take up to nine months,” Singh told PTI in Bhopal this morning.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on 3 December, rebuked authorities for not clearing the Union Carbide site in Bhopal despite directions from even the Supreme Court, and set a four-week deadline to shift the waste, observing that even 40 years after the gas tragedy, authorities were in a “state of inertia”.

The High Court bench had warned the government of contempt proceedings if its directive was not followed. Initially, some of the waste will be burnt at the waste disposal unit in Pithampur, and the residue (ash) will be examined to determine whether any harmful elements remain, Singh said, adding that the smoke from the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters to ensure that the surrounding air is not polluted.

Once confirmed that no toxic traces remain, the ash will be sealed with a two-layer membrane and buried to prevent contact with soil or water. A team of experts, supervised by officials from the Central and State Pollution Control Boards, will oversee the process, Singh said.

Some local activists claim that 10 tonnes of Union Carbide waste was incinerated in Pithampur during a trial in 2015, leading to pollution of soil and water in nearby villages. However, Singh dismissed these claims, stating that the decision to dispose of the waste in Pithampur was made only after reviewing the 2015 test report and addressing all concerns. He assured there was no cause for worry.

On Sunday, many residents of Pithampur, a city with about 1.75 lakh people, held a protest march against the disposal of Union Carbide waste in their area.

Source: The Daily Star

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