Toxic waste from deadly fuel spills during protests in India

Vegetable vendor Shivnarayan Dasana had never seen so many police descend on his village in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The 60-year-old lives there Tarapur In the industrial city of Pithampur, known for its automobile and pharmaceutical factories. The town has been under tension since one of the worst industrial disasters in the world happened, the containers containing 337 tons of toxic waste. he came to throw up three weeks ago

The waste was transported from the Union Carbide factory in the now defunct city of Bhopal – the site of the 1984 gas tragedy. die thousands – has raised fears among the locals.

They are concerned that dumping it near homes could be harmful and even cause an environmental disaster.

The protests erupted on January 3, a day after the debris arrived in the town, causing stone-throwing and self-immolation attempts.

Since then, heavy police patrols have been patrolling near the disposal facility in and around Tarapur in a virtual garrison.

Police have registered seven cases against 100 people since the protests began, but citizens continue to raise concerns about industrial pollution at smaller community meetings.

The toxic waste cleared from the Bhopal factory included five types of hazardous materials, including pesticide residues and “permanent chemicals” left over from its manufacturing process. These chemicals are so called because they retain their toxic properties indefinitely.

For decades, these chemicals have seeped into the surrounding environment, posing a health hazard to people living around the Bhopal plant.

But officials dismiss fears of waste dumping causing environmental problems in Pithampur.

Senior official Swatantra Kumar Singh explained the step-by-step process in an attempt to reassure the public.

“Hazardous waste will be incinerated at 1,200C (2,192F), with 90kg (194.4lb) test batches and 270kg batches over three months if the toxicity level is safe,” he said.

Mr. Singh explained that “a four-layer filtration will purify the smoke”, which will prevent toxins from entering the air, and the incineration waste will be “sealed in a two-layer membrane” and “buried in a specialized landfill” to avoid soil and pollution. groundwater pollution.

“We have trained 100 ‘master trainers’ and are organizing sessions to explain the casting process and build public confidence,” said administrator Priyank Mishra.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also defended waste disposal, saying it is safe and necessary. He asked the residents to express their concerns legally, stating that the demolition was done only after the orders of the High Court.

Environmental experts, however, have different views on the process.

Some like Subhash C Pandey believe that deletion poses no risk if done properly. Others, like Shyamala Mani, are calling for alternatives to cremation. He says that incineration increases residual slag and releases harmful toxins such as mercury and dioxins.

Ms. Mani suggests that bioremediation, a process that uses microorganisms to break down harmful substances in waste, could be a more efficient and eco-friendly solution.

But residents remain skeptical.

“It’s not just waste. It’s poison,” said Gayatri Tiwari, a mother of five from Tarapur village. “What’s the point of life if we can’t breathe clean air or drink clean water?”

Pollution is an undeniable reality for residents of Pithampur. Residents cite past groundwater contamination and ongoing health problems as reasons for their skepticism.

The town’s rapid industrial growth in the 1980s led to the accumulation of hazardous waste, contaminated water and soil with mercury, arsenic and sulfates. By 2017, the Federal Bureau of Pollution Control declared severe pollution in the area.

Locals have complained that many companies do not follow the rules for disposing of non-hazardous waste, choosing instead to dispose of it on the ground or in water. Tests carried out in 2024 showed high levels of harmful substances in the water. Activists link this to alleged environmental violations at the disposal facility, but officials have denied it.

“The water filters in our homes don’t last two months. Skin diseases and kidney stones are common now. Pollution has made life unbearable,” said Pankaj Patel, 32, of Chirakhan village, pointing to a water purifier that needs to be replaced frequently.

Srinivas Dwivedi, regional officer of the State Pollution Control Board, dismissed the concerns, saying it is “unrealistic” to expect pre-industrial conditions in Pithampur.

Meanwhile, in Bhopal, nearly 230 kilometers (143 miles) from Pithampur, activists argue that the eradication process is a distraction from much bigger issues.

Since the disaster, the toxic material has been in the disturbed factory for decades, contaminating the groundwater in the surrounding area.

More than 1.1 million tons of contaminated soil remains at the Union Carbide plant site, according to a 2010 report by the National Institute for Environmental Engineering Research and the National Institute of Geophysical Research.

“The government is making a show of dumping 337 metric tonnes while ignoring the much bigger problem in Bhopal,” said senior environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman.

“Pollution has increased over the years, but the government has done little to tackle it,” added Rachna Dhingra, another activist.

According to government estimates, 3,500 people died after the gas leak, more than 15,000 later. Activists say the toll is much higher because victims are still suffering from the side effects of the poisoning.

“Given Pithampur’s history of pollution, the residents’ fears are valid,” Mr. Jayaraman said.

Officials said they are only dealing with “debris as determined by the court’s directive.”

But the reality in Bhopal has fueled mistrust in Pithampur, who are now ready to take to the streets again against dumping.

Vegetable vendor Shivnarayan Dasana said the problem goes beyond waste.

“It’s about survival, ours and our children’s,” he said.

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