The Madhya Pradesh High Court has given the state government six weeks to ensure the safe disposal of hazardous waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, adhering to safety norms. The HC also restrained the media from publishing or broadcasting incorrect information about the issue to avoid further unrest.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice SK Kait and Justice Vivek Jain issued the directive on Monday after Advocate General Prashant Singh sought time to engage with the people of Pithampur and allay their fears. Singh informed the court that misinformation regarding the waste disposal had caused significant unrest in the area.
Responding to the government’s submission, the bench prohibited print, audio, and visual media from disseminating false or misleading reports. It emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure the safe disposal of the waste.
The hazardous waste, transported in 12 sealed containers, was shifted on January 2 from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal to a disposal site in Pithampur, Dhar district, approximately 250 km away. The government requested three days to unload the waste, which the court acknowledged, leaving the decision to the state’s discretion.
Public opposition to the waste disposal has intensified, with two men attempting self-immolation in Pithampur three days ago. Protesters argue that improper disposal could harm both human health and the environment.
Senior counsel Naman Nagrath, arguing for the late petitioner Alok Pratap Singh, urged the court to insist on proper testing of the waste to determine its toxicity. He said that publishing the test results would help dispel public anxiety. The writ petition, which was filed by Singh in 2004, had sought safe removal and disposal of the Union Carbide factory’s waste.
“The general public must be reassured, and for this, the waste should be tested to determine its current toxicity levels,” Nagrath stated after the hearing.
The disaster at the Union Carbide factory on the night of December 2-3, 1984, involved the leakage of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, which killed at least 5,479 people and left thousands more with severe injuries and long-term health issues.
In a previous hearing on December 3, 2024, HC had pulled up authorities for their long-held inaction on the garbage disposal issue. The court warned that this inertia may result in another disaster and has directed the government to remove and transport the waste within four weeks with a threat of contempt proceedings in case it fails to comply.
Despite nearly 40 years since the Bhopal gas tragedy, the issue of safe disposal of the factory’s toxic waste remains unresolved, causing widespread public discontent and fears of potential environmental and health hazards.
With inputs from PTI.