State Starts to Unload Union Carbide Waste

The Development Came Weeks After Protests in Pithampur, Around 50km From Dhar District HQ

- Shruti Tomar

BHOPAL: The process of unloading 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste transported from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal began in Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, officials said.

The exercise, which began at around 3pm in adherence of all safety protocols and in the presence of local representatives and administration, is perhaps the first step towards the long-drawn process of closure for the victims and families of the nearly 5,000 people who died on the night of December 3, 1984, when tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate gas shrouded Bhopal.

"We have brought local representatives to the Ramky plant, where containers are parked. The waste is being unloaded from the trucks following all safety regulations," Pithampur SDM Pramod Singh Gujar said on Thursday.

The development came weeks after protests rocked Pithampur, around 50km from Dhar district headquarters, after the waste was brought to a private facility for incineration in January. Those objecting to the move expressed apprehension that the disposal would harm the local residents' health and the environment.