Twelve containers of hazardous waste – remnants from the Union carbide disaster 40 years ago are being sent to Pithampur from Bhopal in a major operation under heavy security. The toxic waste is being transported through a 250-kilometer-long green corridor, accompanied by ambulances, police vehicles, and fire brigades. Fifty police personnel from Bhopal are escorting the containers.
The Police Commissioner said the waste is being moved in keeping with the highest safety standards. An officer of the Additional Superintendent of Police-level is overseeing the transportation that started late on Wednesday evening.
The 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste was stored at the abandoned Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.
It was loaded in 12 specially designed leak-proof and fire-resistant containers. Each container carries approximately 30 tonnes of waste, packed in jumbo HDPE bags to prevent chemical reactions.
Ahead of the shift, the factory’s 200-meter radius was sealed.
Extensive Preparations were made for the safe transportation of the waste. Around 200 workers were involved in the process, who worked in short, 30-minute shifts.
They stuck to strict safety measures, including the use of PPE kits.
There has been massive resistance to the waste disposal from the civil society in Pithampur, where the waste is headed.
More than 10 organisations have called for a shutdown tomorrow, demanding the waste be sent abroad instead of Pithampur.
Doctors from Indore’s Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital Alumni Association have filed a petition questioning the waste disposal process without adequate trials.
Pithampur Plant
The waste disposal plant in Pithampur is the only state-of-the-art incineration plant in Madhya Pradesh. It is operated by Ramky Enviro Engineers under CPCB guidelines. The waste will be burned on a special wooden platform built 25 feet above the ground.
The burning process will also follow strict scientific protocols.
Initial testing will determine the season, temperature, and quantity for incineration.
At a speed of 90 kg/hour, it will take approximately 153 days to dispose of all 337 tonnes of waste. If the speed is increased to 270 kg/hour, it will take 51 days.
Safety and Environmental Monitoring
Special care is being taken to prevent environmental contamination:
Air quality is monitored using equipment installed at three locations within the factory campus.
Dust and soil from areas where the waste was stored are also being transported for testing.
What The Waste Comprises
The toxic waste includes five types of hazardous materials, including soil, pesticide residues, and chemicals left from manufacturing processes. The disposal operation comes nearly 40 years after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, which claimed over 5,000 lives due to the release of methyl isocyanate gas.
In 2015, part of the waste was incinerated at the Pithampur plant as part of a trial run, burning 90 kg per hour. Based on this success, the High Court directed the disposal of the remaining waste by January 6, 2025.