Bhopal
Amid the controversy over disposal of chemical waste of Union Carbide (UCA) at Pithampur in Dhar district, the government has decided that time will be sought from the High Court for this. An affidavit will be presented by the Chief Secretary on Monday, in which public sentiments will be cited.
It will be said that first people will be explained and the work of burning garbage will be done only after getting their consent. This has also been started. Minister in-charge of Dhar Kailash Vijayvargiya, Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Rajoura have been given the responsibility of communicating with the people. The administration is also working to remove misconceptions.
trying to clear up misconceptions
Chief Secretary Anurag Jain said that complete action is being taken on the guidelines of the Supreme Court. The misconceptions regarding this will be removed first and efforts are being made for this at every level.
When information about skin diseases, water quality and crop failure came, a team from the Central Pollution Board and AIIMS was sent and an investigation was conducted in 12 villages. Nothing was found in excess of the prescribed limits anywhere here. The reports of central agencies are also similar. Every state has a designated site for disposal of chemical waste.
Garbage sent to Pithampur as per standards
This work is being done in Pithampur. When the matter of Union Carbide waste went to the Supreme Court, on March 4, 2013, instructions were given that the disposal of 10 tons of chemical waste from Hindustan Insecticide Limited Plant, Kerala, Kochi, should be done on an experimental basis in Pithampur.
Successfully trialled by Central Pollution Control Board in 2013. On December 3, 2024, the Jabalpur High Court had directed the state government and the State Pollution Control Board to safely transport the chemical waste from the Union Carbide site to Pithampur within four weeks. In compliance with this, the waste was sent as per the standards.
10 tonnes of garbage has been burnt
Chief Secretary Anurag Jain said that after the successful disposal of the waste of Hindustan Insecticide Limited Plant, Kerala, Kochi, the Supreme Court on 17 April 2014 directed that a trial run of 10 tonnes of waste of Union Carbide should be done in Pithampur. The Central Pollution Control Board conducted a successful trial run in 2015.
All reports of experimental disposal by the Board were presented before the court. It was revealed that there is no apparent harm to the environment due to disposal of this type of waste. Only after that the court gave instructions to proceed further and destroy the waste.
In compliance with this, waste has been transported. Now a decision will be taken to burn it considering the circumstances. All the facts will be placed before the High Court.
60 percent of the waste is soil
358 tonnes of waste from Union Carbide has been found. More than 60 percent of it is local soil. 40 percent of the intake is napthal, reactor residue and process pesticides waste. Seven napthal residues are basically a by-product of the manufacturing process of methyl isocyanate and pesticides.
Its toxicity almost completely disappears in 25 years. The waste disposal process must have been thoroughly examined. Complete videography of waste disposal will be done in Pithampur. The findings will be presented to the Supreme Court through an affidavit.
No one should be confused, the process will be done under the supervision of scientists
The Chief Secretary said that no one should be confused. All the work is being done under the supervision of scientists on the guidelines of the Supreme Court. Very few people were aware that Union Carbide’s waste had been incinerated earlier.
When the facts came to light, public representatives were also informed. By communicating virtually with the officials, they will also be given factual information so that they can also make the general public aware of the reality. Social organizations will also be taken into confidence so that there is no confusion.
Garbage disposal will take six months
According to the Chief Secretary, it will take six months to dispose of the garbage. Its process is determined. Garbage is burnt at 800 to 1000 degrees. Whatever gas will be released, it will be as per the standards according to various reports. The ash generated after burning the garbage will be kept in capsules. The process for this is also fixed.
I had no idea there would be so much opposition.
According to sources, the government had no idea that there would be so much opposition to burning garbage. It was told that people had been informed in this regard but there was a mistake in assessing public sentiments.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav late on Friday night, both Deputy Chief Ministers Jagdish Deora and Rajendra Shukla, Minister in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, State BJP President Vishnu Dutt Sharma, local MLA Neena Verma, Advocate General, Principal Secretary Law, Pollution Control Held a meeting with divisional officials.
Use of Yucca land not considered at present
The Chief Secretary said that at present no consideration has been given regarding the use of Yucca land. Whether a memorial is built there or a green area is developed or for some other use, a decision will be taken at the appropriate time after consulting everyone.
Waste has been disposed of twice, parameters within standard limits.
The Chief Secretary also said that a trial run of waste disposal has been done at Ramki Plant in 2014. Neeri, ICT and CPCB also conducted studies on this. For this trial run, 10 metric tonnes of waste was procured from Hindustan Insecticide Limited, Kochi. That waste was also like the waste of Union Carbide. The Supreme Court had ordered for this. After this, in 2015, 10 metric tons of Bhopal Union Carbide’s waste was disposed of by burning it. On this, CPCB had presented its report in the Supreme Court, in which it was stated that there was no harm to the environment due to the disposal of waste. Health check-up of people from 12 nearby villages was conducted, in which the condition was found to be normal and all the reported parameters were within the standard limits.
Testing of rapid burning of waste
The Chief Secretary also informed that 358 metric tonnes of Union Carbide waste has been sent to Pithampur, of which 60 percent is local soil and 40 percent is naphthol residue and other pesticide waste. It will take about 6 months to burn this waste. However, CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards are conducting trials to burn the waste faster. This plant is new.
Efforts will be made at every level to create consensus on burning garbage.
The Chief Secretary said that there are misconceptions among the people regarding the harm caused by burning garbage, efforts are being made at every level to remove them. State government officials will go to Indore and Dhar districts and explain to the people and will also give information about all the reports so far to the local officials, so that the misconceptions of the local people can be removed.
