Toxic waste from deadly leak sparks protests in India

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

A 60-year-old man lives in Tarapur in the industrial city of Pitampur, known for its automobile and pharmaceutical factories. The city was tense after containers containing 337 tonnes of toxic waste from the site of one of the world’s biggest industrial disasters arrived for disposal three weeks ago.

Waste transported from the now defunct Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, site of the 1984 gas tragedy killed thousands – caused fear among local residents.

They worry that disposal near their homes could be harmful and even cause an environmental disaster.

Protests broke out on January 3, a day after the waste arrived in the city, and escalated into stone-throwing and self-immolation attempts.

Since then, intensive police patrols near the dump have transformed Tarapur and surrounding areas in a virtual garrison.

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

The toxic waste removed from the Bhopal factory included five types of hazardous materials – including pesticide residues and “perpetual chemicals” left over from the manufacturing process. These chemicals are so named because they retain their toxic properties indefinitely.

For decades, these chemicals have been leaking into the environment, posing a health hazard to people living around the Bhopal factory.

But officials dismiss fears that waste disposal could cause environmental problems in Pitampura.

Senior Swatantra official Kumar Singh outlined a phased process in an attempt to reassure the public.

“Hazardous waste will be incinerated at 1200C (2192F), with test batches of 90kg (194.4lb) and then 270kg batches for three months when toxicity levels are safe,” he said.

Mr Singh explained that “four-layer filtration will clean the smoke” to prevent toxins from entering the air, while combustion residues will be “sealed in a double-layer membrane” and “stored in a dedicated landfill” to prevent soil and groundwater contamination. water

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

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also defended the waste disposal, calling it safe and necessary. He urged the residents to express their concerns legally, noting that the disposal was carried out only after a high court order.

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

Some, like Subhash C Pandey, believe that disposal poses no risk if done properly. Others, like Shyamala Mani, call for alternatives to incineration. She claims that burning increases the amount of 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, may be a more efficient and environmentally friendly solution.

But residents are still 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 and drink clean water?”

Pollution is an undeniable reality for the people of Pithampur. Residents cite past groundwater contamination and current health concerns as reasons for skepticism.

The rapid industrial growth of the city in the 1980s led to the accumulation of hazardous waste, contamination of water and soil with mercury, arsenic and sulfates. By 2017, the federal agency’s Central Pollution Control Board had flagged severe pollution in the area.

Local residents claim that many companies do not follow hazardous waste disposal regulations, choosing to dump it into soil or water. Tests in 2024 showed increased harmful substances in the water. Activists attribute this to alleged environmental violations at the repository, but officials deny this.

“The water filters in our homes don’t even 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 his a water purifier that requires frequent replacement.

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

Meanwhile, in Bhopal, nearly 230 km (143 miles) from Pithampur, activists say the disposal process is a distraction from much bigger problems.

Since the disaster, toxic material has lain in the preserved plant for decades, contaminating groundwater in surrounding areas.

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

“The government is putting on a show by disposing of 337 metric tonnes while ignoring a much bigger problem in Bhopal,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, a leading environmentalist.

“The infestation has worsened over the years, but the government has done little to address it,” added Rachna Dhingra, another activist.

According to government estimates, 3,500 people died soon after the gas leak, and more than 15,000 died later. Activists claim that the death toll is much higher, with victims still suffering from the side effects of the poisoning.

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

Officials said they were only “disposing of waste in accordance with a court directive.”

But the reality of Bhopal has deepened mistrust among the residents of Pithampur, who are now ready to take to the streets again to oppose waste disposal.

Vegetable vendor Shivnarayan Dasana said the problem goes beyond the waste itself.

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

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