New Delhi, June 4 (H.S.): The Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing regarding a challenge to a March 27 Madhya Pradesh High Court order mandating the incineration of toxic chemical waste from the Bhopal gas tragedy site. This order allows the state government 72 days to dispose of the waste, which has remained in the abandoned Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) factory for 40 years. A social activist contested this timeline, prompting the court to emphasize that considerable time has already been spent addressing the issue. The bench noted that the process is monitored by experts and the high court has oversight. The activist argued the urgency due to public health concerns as the deadline approaches, but the justices reminded them that prior attempts to raise these issues either in the Madhya Pradesh High Court or the Supreme Court were not granted immediate attention.

The court expressed frustration over the prolonged nature of the disposal efforts and reiterated its refusal to intervene during partial court working days, marking the ongoing struggle to manage the toxic waste stemming from the 1984 gas leak incident that tragically resulted in thousands of deaths and health complications for the local population.

The HC order was issued following a petition by Alok Pratap Singh regarding the disposal of waste from the UCIL factory. The state assured the HC that waste would be incinerated in small phases under expert supervision, commencing within a week and completing within 72 days. In December 2024, the MP high court sanctioned trial incineration of UCIL waste at the Pithampur Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF), with 337 tonnes of toxic waste starting to be unloaded on February 13. Local NGOs and residents expressed concerns, fearing health and environmental impacts. Activists approached the HC regarding these issues.

On February 27, a top court bench led by Justice Bhushan R Gavai dismissed these public safety concerns, noting that a committee of experts, including officials from NEERI and NGRI, was overseeing the waste disposal and transportation. The court instructed the Madhya Pradesh government to detail safety measures to protect the local population. The case was brought to the top court by Chinmay Mishra, an Indore resident, who argued that residents of nearby villages were at significant risk, highlighting that Indore, located 30 km away, depended on the Gambhir River for drinking water, which serves 40% of its population due to its connection to Yashwant Sagar Dam.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar