Disposal of toxic waste linked to Bhopal Gas Tragedy Doctors file PIL against plan in MP HC

Indore, Dec 30 (PTI) A PIL was filed in the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday seeking a stay on the impending disposal in Dhar of 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.In the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from Union Carbide factory, resulting in the deaths of 5,479 people, while more than five lakh others were affected. It is considered the world's worst industrial disaster.
The public interest petition, filed by a group of doctors, claimed the disposal of toxic waste at a unit run by a private company in Pithampur in Dhar, some 30 kilometres from here, was detrimental to the environment and people. It sought an urgent hearing on the matter.
On December 3, the MP HC had pulled up the authorities for not taking steps to dispose of the waste despite repeated directions, including from the Supreme Court.
In the PIL, Dr Sanjay Londhe, president of Alumni Association of Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore, and oncologists S S Nair and Vineeta Kothari have questioned the state government's preparations to dispose of the waste.
"Although the likely date of hearing on this PIL is January 9, we have urged the High Court to constitute a special bench and hear this petition immediately," their counsel Abhinav P Dhanodkar told PTI.
The PIL stated several doctors, experts and researchers have pointed out that the disposal of the waste might increase the chances of cancer and breathing related issues in Pithampur and Indore.
The PIL also contended that local bodies and residents of Pithampur and Indore were not taken into confidence before this decision was taken.Pithampur industrial area, which has 1,250 small and big factories, does not have a “proper government hospital”, the plea said.
The plan to send toxic waste of Bhopal gas tragedy to Pithampur and destroy it in the waste disposal unit there should be stopped immediately, the plea said.
The plea also sought the formation of a judicial committee under the chairmanship of a sitting HC judge to assess the apprehended effects of waste disposal on the citizens and air of Pithampur and its surrounding areas.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)