Bhopal: More than three decades after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, about ten tonnes of toxic hazardous waste beneath the Union Carbide Factory ground have not been shifted for incineration. Almost five years ago, the wastes were secretly shifted to Pithampura for burning but till date, no report has been generated.
The toxic wastes were shifted to Pithampura after the Supreme Court's order which instructed the government to conduct a trial run to dispose of the hazardous waste. However, the report on the method used for incineration and its impact on the environment has not been prepared.
According to official records, the lethal gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory on the night of December 2, 1984, killed 3,787 people.
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Satinath Sarangi, member of Bhopal Group for Information and Action, said, "The matter of disposal of ten tonnes of toxic waste materials is with the officials of The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Central govt wants CPCB to take a final call on this matter. Indian Institute of Science and various other renowned institutions have conducted 16 studies on Bhopal Gas Tragedy."
However, victims of Bhopal Gas Tragedy have claimed that around 20,000 metric tonnes of toxic waste is buried beneath the ground and 21 holes were made to stop the waste generated from the factory. They said that the government should take steps to incinerate the toxic waste materials as it is polluting the environment and pose a serious threat to human health.
Ground contamination with chemicals found up to 3.5km from the factory site has caused birth defects, cancer, damage to lungs, kidneys, brain and skin. The contaminants include organic chemicals and heavy metals like mercury, chromium and nickel.
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