Toxic waste from world’s deadliest gas leak sparks protests in India

Vegetable seller Shivnarayan Dasna had never seen so many policemen in his village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

60 year old man lives Tarapur In the industrial town of Pithampur, which is known for its automobile and pharmaceutical factories. There is tension in the city after 337 tonnes of toxic waste from the site of one of the world’s worst industrial disasters was found stored in containers. arrived for disposal Three weeks ago.

Waste brought from the now closed Union Carbide factory in Bhopal city – the site of the 1984 gas tragedy. killed Thousands – have created fear among the local people.

They worry that disposing of it near their homes could be harmful and even cause an environmental disaster.

Protests began on January 3, a day after the garbage arrived in the city, escalating to stone pelting and attempted self-immolation.

Since then, heavy police patrolling near the disposal facility has shifted to Tarapur and surrounding areas. In a virtual garrison.

Police have registered seven cases against 100 people since the protests began, but city residents continue to raise concerns about industrial pollution at small community meetings.

The toxic waste released from the Bhopal factory contained five types of hazardous materials – including pesticide residues and “forever chemicals” left over from its manufacturing process. These chemicals are so named because they retain their toxic properties indefinitely.

Over the decades, these chemicals have seeped into the surrounding environment, posing a health threat to people living around the factory in Bhopal.

But officials dismiss fears that waste disposal could create environmental problems in Pithampur.

Senior official Swatantra Kumar Singh outlined a phased process in an attempt to reassure the public.

“If toxicity levels are safe the hazardous waste will be incinerated at 1,200C (2,192F), with 90 kilogram (194.4 lb) test batches followed by 270 kilogram batches over three months,” he said.

Mr Singh explained that “four-layer filtering will purify the smoke”, which will prevent toxic substances from entering the air and the residue left from incineration will be “sealed in a two-layer membrane” and “one layer” to prevent soiling. Will be buried in special landfill”. Ground water pollution.

Administrator Priyank Mishra said, “We have trained 100 ‘master trainers’ and are hosting sessions to explain the settlement process and build public confidence.”

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also defended garbage disposal, calling it safe and necessary. He urged residents to express their concerns legally, noting that the settlement was made only after High Court orders.

However, environmental experts have different opinions on this process.

Some people like Subhash C Pandey believe that there is no risk if disposal is done properly. Others like Shyamala Mani are demanding alternatives to incineration. They argue that incineration increases residual waste and releases harmful toxins such as mercury and dioxin.

Ms Mani suggests that bioremediation, a process using microbes to break down harmful substances in waste, could be a more effective and eco-friendly solution.

But residents are skeptical.

“This is not just waste. This is poison,” said Gayatri Tiwari, a mother of five from Tarapur village. “What’s the point of life if we can’t breathe clean air or drink clean water?”

Pollution is an undeniable reality for the residents of Pithampur. Residents cite past groundwater contamination and ongoing health issues as reasons for skepticism.

The city’s rapid industrial growth in the 1980s led to the accumulation of hazardous waste, with water and soil polluted with mercury, arsenic and sulphate. As of 2017, the federal agency Central Pollution Control Bureau noted severe pollution in the area.

Locals allege that many companies do not follow rules for disposal of non-hazardous waste, and prefer to dump it in soil or water. Tests in 2024 revealed increased levels of harmful substances in the water. Activists link it to alleged environmental violations at the disposal facility but officials have denied this.

“The water filters in our homes don’t last even two months. Skin diseases and kidney stones have now become common. Pollution has made life unbearable,” said Pankaj Patel, 32, of Chirakhan village, pointing to his water purifier. Has given.”

Srinivas Dwivedi, regional officer of the State Pollution Control Board, dismissed the concerns, saying it was “unrealistic” to expect pre-industrial conditions in Pithampur.

Meanwhile, in Bhopal, about 230 km (143 miles) from Pithampur, activists argue that the settlement process is a distraction from much larger issues.

Since the disaster, toxic materials remained in the mothballed factory for decades, polluting groundwater in the surrounding areas.

According to a 2010 report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the National Geophysical Research Institute, more than 1.1 million tons of contaminated soil remains at the Union Carbide factory site.

Prominent environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman said, “The government is pretending to dispose of 337 metric tonnes while ignoring the much bigger problem in Bhopal.”

Rachna Dhingra, another activist, said, “The pollution situation has become worse over the years, yet the government has done little to address it.”

According to government estimates, 3,500 people died immediately after the gas leak, with more than 15,000 dead later. Activists claim the death toll is much higher, with victims still suffering from side effects of the poison.

“Given Pithampur’s history of pollution, residents’ fears are justified,” Mr Jayaraman said.

Officials said they were only “dealing with the waste as per the court’s direction”.

But the reality of Bhopal has deepened the distrust among the people of Pithampur, who are now ready to take to the streets again to protest against garbage disposal.

Vegetable seller Shivnarayan Dasna said that the matter has gone beyond garbage.

“This is about survival – ours and our children’s,” he said.

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