Union Carbide’s toxic waste incinerated, final relief yet to come after 41 years of Bhopal gas tragedy
Bhopal, Dec 2 (LatestNewsX) – After four decades of grappling with the world’s biggest chemical catastrophe, the people of the “City of Lakes” found a sliver of hope when 358 metric tons of hazardous waste from the shuttered Union Carbide plant were finally transported to Pithampur on January 1.
Once the toxic material left Bhopal, officials faced a two‑fold challenge: persuading opponents of the move and ensuring the waste was incinerated safely so that people, water and the surrounding environment would not be harmed.
The Madhya Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, showed determination, won over sceptics, and carried out the incineration in several stages.
Now another issue looms: the roughly 900 tons of ash left behind after burning the 358 tons of chemical debris. The matter has grown more complicated since the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected the state’s plan to store the toxic ash in October.
Consequently, the 900 metric‑ton residue is still kept in vessels at a private facility where Union Carbide’s waste was incinerated. The government must now devise a new strategy to dispose of the ash and close the chapter once and for all.
A senior officer in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Rehabilitation Department told LatestNewsX that the state is considering alternative options and expects to present the proposal before the High Court for approval in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, survivors in Bhopal continue to fight for justice. Various cases are pending before the Bhopal District Court and the Supreme Court, including whether the Indian judiciary can try former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson, who died in 2014.
At least 5,479 people lost their lives and thousands were permanently injured when a cloud of highly toxic methyl‑isocyanate gas escaped from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant in the night of 2‑3 December 1984.
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