Bhopal gas tragedy: Forty years after the horrific Bhopal gas tragedy, the process of shifting approximately 337 tons of hazardous waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory site commenced on Wednesday night for disposal, an official said.
Toxic waste to be disposed of in Pithampur industrial area
Twelve container trucks with toxic waste were left for the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district, 250 km away from Bhopal, around 9 pm, under heavy security. "12 container trucks carrying the waste set off on a non-stop journey around 9 pm. A green corridor has been created for the vehicles which are expected to reach Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district in seven hours," said Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department Director Swatantra Kumar Singh.
He said around 100 people worked in 30-minute shifts since Sunday to pack and load the waste in trucks. "They underwent health check-ups and were given rest every 30 minutes," he added.
What is process of waste disposal?
"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 on Wednesday morning.
Singh said that initially, a portion of the waste will be incinerated at the disposal unit in Pithampur, and the residue (ash) will be examined to determine if any harmful elements remain,
He further said that the smoke from the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters so that the surrounding air is not polluted. "Once it is confirmed that no traces of toxic elements are left, the ash will be covered by a two-layer membrane and buried to ensure it does not come in contact with soil and water in any way. A team of experts under the supervision of officials of the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board will carry out the process," Singh added.
Some local activists have claimed that 10 tons of Union Carbide waste was incinerated on a trial basis in Pithampur in 2015, after which the soil, underground water and water sources in surrounding villages became polluted.
But Singh rejected the claim, stating that the decision to dispose of the waste at Pithampur was taken only after the report of the 2015 test and all the objections were examined. "There would be no reason to worry," he said.
A large number of people had on Sunday taken out a protest march in Pithampur to oppose the disposal of Union Carbide waste in the city which has a population of about 1.75 lakh.
Bhopal gas tragedy
The highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide pesticides factory on the intervening night of December 2 and 3 in 1984, killing 5,479 persons and leaving more than five lakh others with health problems and long-term disabilities. It is considered to be among the worst industrial disasters in the world.
Earlier on December 3, the Madhya Pradesh High Court rebuked authorities for failing to clear the Union Carbide site in Bhopal despite directions from even the Supreme Court and set a four-week deadline to shift the waste. The court noted that even 40 years after the gas tragedy, officials remained in a "state of inertia."
The high court bench had warned the government of contempt proceedings if its directive was not followed.
(With PTI inputs)
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