Madhya Pradesh Government to Present Report on Toxic Waste and Protests in High Court Today
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Pithampur, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Madhya Pradesh government is scheduled to submit a report today concerning the status of the hazardous chemical waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal to seek judicial guidance on the issue.
In addition to the report, the state will also inform the court about the controversy surrounding the transfer of 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste to the Pithampur industrial area, located more than 250 km from Bhopal.
Complying with the court's directive from December 3, the chemical waste at the abandoned Union Carbide facility was collected during a three-day operation and loaded onto 12 container trucks. These trucks were dispatched to Pithampur, approximately 40 km from Indore, on January 2.
However, residents of Pithampur have expressed their concerns regarding the transfer, fearing that the toxic gases from the chemical waste could adversely affect public health. This has resulted in significant protests in the vicinity of the Pithampur industrial site, compelling the state administration to suspend the incineration of the waste.
The inadequate communication between the state authorities and the local population has resulted in confusion among the residents of the Pithampur industrial area. Nevertheless, the increasing protests and deteriorating law and order situation have prompted the administration to engage in discussions with the community.
Following a series of meetings between Bhopal and Pithampur, the government decided to halt the incineration process and update the High Court regarding the public unrest following the waste's transfer.
After presiding over a high-level meeting on January 4, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stated that the government would provide a comprehensive report on the Pithampur situation to the High Court and determine the next steps regarding the chemical waste stored in container trucks.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the government acknowledges the concerns of the Pithampur residents and would communicate this (about the protests) to the court on January 6 while seeking further directions.
It is worth mentioning that in its previous ruling on December 3, 2024, the High Court had allowed three weeks for the state administration to relocate the 1984 Bhopal Gas Leak waste and requested a report on the progress.
The administration reported that the situation in Pithampur was calm on Sunday after local leaders from the ruling BJP and state officials conducted multiple meetings with residents over the past two days. After several discussions with government representatives and community leaders, the residents of Pithampur have chosen to await Monday's hearing in the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
