MP's Toxic Waste Crisis: Two Men Try Self-Immolation, Police Clash with Protesters

Dhar/Pithampur (The Uttam Hindu): Forty years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, local residents erupted in anger on Friday over the disposal of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory being brought to Pithampur in Dhar district. Protesters took to the streets demanding that the waste be sent back to Bhopal. During the protest, two young men attempted self-immolation and were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The police used lathi charge to disperse the protesters.

The Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world's largest industrial disasters, still poses a serious challenge in disposing of its remnants four decades later. On the night of January 1, toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory was brought to Pithampur for safe disposal, which sparked local outrage. On the midnight of December 2-3, 1984, lethal gas leaked from Union Carbide India's pesticide plant, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.

During the protest, two young men, Rajkumar Raghuvanshi and Raj Patel, attempted self-immolation and were immediately taken to the hospital. Protesters also shut down shops while demanding that the waste be sent back to Bhopal. A local shopkeeper said, "The toxic waste from Bhopal, which is 40 years old, has been brought here to Pithampur for disposal. We will not allow the waste to be burned here. We stand with the people of Pithampur." To control the situation, the police used lathi charge on the protesters. Tension is now prevailing in the area.

Earlier, on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that the disposal of the waste would not affect the environment. He mentioned that a trial burning of 10 metric tons of waste was conducted in Pithampur in 2015, and the report was submitted to the Supreme Court. The report stated that the disposal of the waste had no impact on the environment, following which the High Court directed the burning of the remaining waste.

However, the local residents are not satisfied with the Chief Minister's assurances and are adamant about having the waste removed from Pithampur. They have made it clear that they will not allow any toxic waste to be disposed of in their area. Social activist Sandeep Raghuvanshi said that the strike would continue until the waste containers are sent back. This incident has once again brought the Bhopal gas tragedy victims and their ongoing struggles into the spotlight.