MP govt to submit report in HC today on toxic waste status, protests
Pithampur (The Uttam Hindu): Madhya Pradesh government on Monday will submit the status report on the hazardous chemical waste of Bhopal's Union Carbide factory to seek its direction in the matter. Along with the status report, the state government will also inform the court about the controversy that erupted after 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste was transported to the Pithampur industrial area, over 250 km away from Bhopal.
Notably, complying with the court's December 3 direction, the chemical waste lying at the defunct Union Carbide factory was collected in a three-day operation and loaded in 12 container trucks. The trucks were transported to Pithampur, around 40 km from Indore on January 2. However, the citizens of Pithampur opposed the shift, fearing that the toxic gas of chemical waste may have an impact on human life. There have been massive protests in the surroundings of the Pithampur industrial site, forcing the state administration to put the incineration process of the waste on hold.
The lack of proper communication between the state administration and the people led to confusion among the citizens of the Pithampur industrial area. However, escalating protests and the law and order situation forced the state administration to hold meetings with people. After a series of meetings from Bhopal to Pithampur, the state administration decided to put the incineration process on hold and inform the High Court about the public agitation after the waste was shifted to Pithampur.
After chairing a high-level meeting on January 4, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government will present a detailed report of Pithampur's incident before the High Court and will decide on the further course of action on chemical waste stored container trucks. Chief Minister had also said that the government respects the sentiments of the people of the Pithampur industrial area, therefore, it would inform the same (about the protest) to the court on January 6 and will seek future direction on the matter.
Notably, in its previous order on December 3, 2024, the HC had given three weeks for the state administration to shift the 1984 Bhopal Gas Leak waste and had sought a report on it. The administration claimed the situation in Pithampur was peaceful on Sunday after leaders of the ruling BJP and the state administration held a series of meetings with people at different locations in the past two days in the Pithampur area. After several rounds of parlays with government officials and public representatives, the citizens of Pithampur have decided to wait for Monday's hearing in the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
