New Delhi, 27 February (HS): The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition seeking a ban on burning of Bhopal's Union Carbide's hazardous waste in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, has refused to interfere with the order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The bench headed by Justice BR Gavai advised the petitioner to go to the High Court and put forth his case there.

Earlier, during the hearing on 17 February, the Supreme Court had asked the Madhya Pradesh government what arrangements have been made to deal with any accident if it occurs while burning the waste in Pithampur. Today, the Madhya Pradesh government told the Supreme Court that all rules will be followed while burning the waste.

In the petition filed by Indore resident Chinmay Mishra, the people of the area were not consulted on the matter of burning Union Carbide's waste. It was feared in the petition that if this waste is burnt in Pithampur, the people there may be at risk of radiation. There is no medical facility in this area for the people affected by radiation.

On the intervening night of 2 and 3 December 1984, poisonous methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory, in which more than 3000 people died and more than one lakh people were affected. On 3 December 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the Union Carbide waste to be transported from Bhopal to the disposal site.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar