Amid protests, MP puts on hold disposal of toxic waste

The disposal of toxic waste from the Union Carbide plant was put on hold on Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh government said, after irate locals pelted stones at an incineration unit in Pithampur area of Dhar district early in the morning in protest against the disposal being carried out in the district.

- Shruti Tomar

The government is also set to approach the Madhya Pradesh high court to seek more time to carry out the task, chief secretary Anurag Jain said.

"The government has put everything on hold and will now move forward in this matter only after taking the local people into confidence," Jain said.

At around 10am on Saturday, a mob of around 150 people pelted stones at the incineration unit's entrance and vandalised the vehicles. The incident took place a day after the district administration issued prohibitory orders under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakhsa Sanhita (BNSS) in a 100m radius of the waste disposal unit.

"A probe has been launched to identify the accused involved in the matter," Pithampur police station inspector Om Prakash Ahir told news agency PTI.