Four decades later, 337-tonne of toxic waste in addition to 1.1 million tonnes of contaminated soil inches slowly towards disposal, writes Ashish Bhatia.
On my first trip to Bhopal, subconsciously, I was gripped by the anxiety of breathing in perhaps the toxicity left behind in the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. Four decades later, it is etched in the nightmares of localities. Driver Brijesh recalls the fatal accident and the alteration of the daily lives of the citizens as he goes about earning his livelihood. Sealed and locked away like a bad memory, the factory of Union Carbide (India) Ltd., is a landmark for tourists, but toxic waste disposal has long been a prime concern for localities. It is well known how several court orders later, hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste remained at the UCIL site. A 2010 government study quantified it to 337-tonnes of toxic waste in addition to 1.1 million tonnes of soil known to have been contaminated. Even the groundwater is allegedly laced with toxic substances and heavy metals. Brijesh said it was a compromise for Bhopal residents they lived with.
Numerous petitions are pending with the High Court and the Supreme Court for the safe disposal of toxic waste from the UCIL site. Things finally moved. Back in a Loksabha release of 2002, it is documented that Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) held liable for the tragedy in Bhopal, impacting ~5000 innocent lives and in various degrees, thousands of others, paid USD 470 million as compensation for the victims of the tragedy in full settlement of all civil claims, rights and liabilities related to and arising out of Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster. This information was given by the then Minister of Chemicals & fertilisers, Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
A transportation challenge
The new year began with a challenging clean-up and a sensitive exercise, to say the least. On January 02, 2025, 337 metric tonnes of toxic chemical waste from the Union Carbide plant is known to have reached Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh for disposal. Counterclaims allege it is far lower than the estimated quantity of garbage left behind in the tragic event. While those claims are yet to be ascertained, the focus is on a major transportation challenge, which if done successfully calls for a well-deserved recognition for the stakeholders involved. This of course follows the Madhya Pradesh High Court order reported to have pulled up the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation (BGTRR) Department of the MP government for inaction.
In the first images made public, 12 trucks carried 337 metric tonnes of waste comprising pesticide residue, carbaryl, and contaminated soil from Bhopal to Pithampur, across the 250 km green corridor in special containers. At Pithampur, a facility run by the private company Re Sustainability undertook the task of mixing the waste with burning agents, putting it through an incinerator, and then burying the ash safely in a landfill.
As work to move the waste from the factory began, the waste stored in bags inside the factory was packed into jumbo High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) non-reactive bags to avoid any chemical reactions during transportation. The waste was reportedly loaded into containers by 50 labourers who were clad in full PPE. The waste is said to include remnants of Sevin, a pesticide produced at the Union Carbide factory, Methyl Isocyanate (MIC), the gas blamed for thousands of deaths during the disaster, reactor residues, contaminated soil and other chemicals used at the plant. With 162 metric tonnes of soil, the Sevin and naphthol residues amount to 92 metric tonnes. There are 54 metric tonnes of semi-processed pesticides and 29 metric tonnes of reactor waste in addition. The labourers were rotated on 30-minute shifts and said to have been subjected to health checks immediately after they removed their PPE kits. The workers also had access to a temporary medical facility, rest areas, and bathing facilities.
The trucks embarked on a seven-hour journey along the green corridor created for the vehicles. Each truck, with two drivers, had to move at a speed of 40-50 kmph, with brief halts at designated points. The trucks were escorted by police, ambulances, fire brigades, and a quick response team accompanying the convoy. The disposal exercise however could last anywhere between three months to nine months amidst the fresh protests.
Just the decision to transport the toxic waste to Pithampur led to a series of protests resulting in several manufacturing plants reporting absenteeism and loss of productivity as a result. The Indian court as a result of violent protests has had to halt the waste disposal. “Bhopal ka kachra Pithampur me nahi jalega” meaning that the waste of Bhopal won’t be burnt down in Pithampur was a slog that gives a sense of people anxiety attributed to a fear of lack of transparency. People protested the shifting of the Bhopal gas tragedy site’s toxic waste to Pithampur even as the district collector assured of several meetings being held at the local level. He is reported to have assured, everything was being closely monitored and there was no question that people would be kept in the dark. A scientific report would be brought out in simple terminology, he assured in a bid to allay concerns.
