Madhya Pradesh HC allows disposal of waste from Bhopal’s Union Carbide plant at Pithampur

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday permitted the state government to dispose of about 300 tons of 40-year-old chemical waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory at a private facility in Pithampur, The Hindu reported.

The state government assured the court that the exercise would be completed in 72 days. It informed the court that a trial to dispose of 30 tons of the waste was successful and that the remaining 300 tons could be incinerated safely, Live Law reported.

On February 27, the Supreme Court had refused to interfere with the High Court’s order allowing waste incineration trials in three phases.

The three trial runs took place on February 28, March 4 and March 10, with burning rates of 135 kg/hour, 180 kg/hour and 270 kg/hour, respectively. The government stated that the remaining waste could be disposed of under the supervision of the central and state pollution control boards at a rate of 270 kg/hour.

The waste is the result of an accident that occurred in December 1984, when methyl isocyanate and other toxic gases leaked from the pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited in Bhopal.

Over five lakh persons were exposed to the toxic gases and at least 4,000 were killed as a result in the ensuing days. Government data suggests that there have been...

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