Bhopal Gas Tragedy: 40 years on, trial process of burning Union Carbide factory waste begins

Women and children during a candle light vigil to pay homage to the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. (Courtesy: PTI file photo)

The process for the first round of trial incineration of 10 tonnes of waste connected to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy has begun in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district on Thursday amid tight security, officials said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the MP High Court's order directing the transfer and disposal of waste at a private company-operated plant at Pithampur.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih also refused to stay Thursday's trial disposal. The SC asked aggrieved parties, including members of civil society organisations opposing waste disposal, to approach the MP HC, which is hearing the case.

According to the state government, the waste includes soil from the now-shut Bhopal factory, reactor residue, Sevin (pesticide) residue, naphthal residue and semi-processed residue.

The State Pollution Control Board says that according to scientific evidence, the effect of Sevin and naphthal in this waste has now become almost negligible.

According to the pollution control board, there is no existence of methyl isocyanate gas or radioactive particles of any kind in this waste.

The pollution control board's regional officer Srinivas Dwivedi told reporters that five types of waste from Union Carbide factory will be mixed in appropriate proportion in a mixer at Pithampur's waste disposal plant and 10 tonnes of it will be put into the incinerator.

"Before this, the incinerator will be run empty and its temperature will be raised to 850 degrees Celsius. The process of putting the waste into the incinerator is expected to start at 10-11 am on Friday. It will take about 72 hours to burn and destroy 10 tonnes of waste on a trial basis," he said.

The solid residue, water and gases released during the incineration process will also be disposed of properly, he said, adding that personnel involved in the disposal of the waste have been given masks, goggles, gloves and other equipment.

Following the apex court order, security has been enhanced at the disposal site with deployment of 500 personnel from 24 police stations, an official said. Senior officials from the police and civic administration are present at the site, he added.

"The testing process has started before burning the Union Carbide factory waste in the waste disposal unit in Pithampur. The waste containers are being opened and the waste is being transported to the plant as per the set parameters," Indore division commissioner Deepak Singh told PTI.

The plant has a system that it will shut down immediately if the emission of any gas exceeds the prescribed limit during burning, Singh informed.

Meanwhile, those opposing the disposal of the waste said that they would knock on the doors of the HC.

"The movement (against burning) will continue. We will present our case strongly in HC. We will talk to the people of Pithampur," protester Sandeep Raghuvanshi said.

On the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, highly poisonous methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. At least 5,479 people were killed and thousands were crippled. It is considered the world's biggest industrial disaster.

The 337 tonnes of waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in the MP capital was transport to a facility in Pithampur, about 250 km away, on January 2 as part of a plan to dispose of the material.

On January 6, the HC had directed the state government to take steps within six weeks to dispose of the waste by following safety guidelines.

In its order of February 18, MP Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain had directed that the state government undertake "first trial run of 10 metric ton by taking all protocols into consideration" on February 27.

"If there is no adverse effect, the second trial run will take place on March 4, followed by the third trial run on March 10. Thereafter, based on results of same, after the due tests, they will continue to dispose of the remaining waste and file the status report," the HC said.

During the hearing, the MP government said it may take three-four days to dispose of the first consignment of 10 tonnes of waste.

Since the waste was brought to Pithampur, there have been several protests in this industrial area with those taking part expressing concern about harm to human population and environment due to the disposal process.

Rejecting such claims, the MP government has said all arrangements are in place in the Pithampur unit for the safe disposal of the Carbide waste.

It had also organised Jan Samvad' programmes in Pithampur and its surrounding places to spread awareness about the waste disposal process.