Beginning Friday, the burning of Union Carbide’s toxic waste, resulting in the deaths of over five thousand people, will commence today, 40 years after the gas tragedy in Bhopal. The government has started the process on the instructions of the High Court. This waste has contaminated the environment around the factory premises since the gas tragedy took place.
The government has paid Rs 126 crore to Ramki for his services to Pithampur. On the night of January 2nd, the city received 337 tons of waste after an eight-hour journey in 12 containers from Bhopal to Pithampur near Indore. But strong public protests in Pithampur led the government to beat a retreat and adopt a wait-and-watch strategy. All engagement with protesting organizations is being done by officials here, and now the burning begins on Friday.
Five containers opened after 56 days
Five containers were opened yesterday, after 56 days of waiting, for the burning of the toxic waste of Union Carbide in Pithampur. Now, everything is set for the incineration of this waste starting Friday. Tight police security arrangements have been made around the premises of the Ramky company since this morning. Now, the process of burning the waste is beginning. Under this process, a special packaging will take the place of ten tons of waste before mixing and then burning it at more than eight hundred degrees in the incinerator.
Supreme Court denies petition
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court by eminent citizens of Indore against burning garbage. The Supreme Court has rejected the petition against the order of the High Court in this matter. Thereafter, the path became clear for burning garbage. A few days back, containers were detached from trucks. Within the next four to six months, this garbage will be burned. The first will assess the environmental impact of burning ten tonnes of waste and will then be prepared as a report to submit in the next hearing to the High Court.
