New Delhi: The industrial hub of Madhya Pradesh, Pithampur, which has been on boil for the past few days against the planned incineration of 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal was relatively calm on Sunday. The protests began after the waste was transported to Pithampur due to fear of health and environmental concerns. However, while the waste has been transported to Pithampur, no immediate plans for incineration have been finalised.
The Madhya Pradesh high court is set to hear a petition filed by Indore doctors who are protesting against the waste incineration on health grounds on Monday. Chief minister Mohan Yadav has also assured the people that the state government would present their concerns before the high court. CM Yadav has said that no further action would be taken without court orders and that the government would seek more time to address the public’s concerns.
At least 80 factories shut temporarily in Pithampur
Earlier a violent clash broke out between the protesters and the police, with two agitators attempting self-immolation. At least 80 factories have been shut in Pithampur as workers refrained from reporting to work, fearing for their safety. Authorities are taking action to restore peace. Officials, including Dhar additional SP Dr Indrajit Singh Bakalwar and SDM Pramod Singh Gurjar, held meetings in the affected villages to assure residents that the waste would be disposed of safely.
On Sunday, a rumour spread on social media that one of the sealed trucks carrying the waste had gone missing. This sparked fresh concern among the residents, prompting local officials to rush to the disposal plant and clarify the situation. “These are rumours. People should not pay heed to them,” said SDM Pramod Singh Gurjar, addressing the concerns of the public, according to a Times of India report. Despite efforts to calm the unrest, villagers remained sceptical about the incineration plans.
HC order with a warning of contempt action
The waste disposal project stems from the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, in which over 5,400 people were killed due to a gas leak from the Union Carbide pesticide factory. In December last year the HC had directed that the waste be transferred to Pithampur with a warning of contempt action if the directive was not followed.
State officials, including Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, clarified that while the transportation of the waste was carried out, the incineration process would only proceed once the situation was deemed under control.
