New Delhi, February 27 – The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s decision to relocate and dispose of toxic waste from the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy at a facility in Pithampur, located in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih also declined to stay the trial run for the disposal of the hazardous waste from the Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) plant, which was scheduled for Thursday. The court emphasized that expert opinions from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had been taken into consideration by both the High Court and the expert panel overseeing the issue.
The apex court advised concerned parties, including civil society representatives, to present their grievances before the High Court, which is actively handling the matter.
Earlier, on February 25, the Supreme Court had directed authorities to submit details regarding the safety measures adopted for the disposal process. Approximately 377 tonnes of hazardous waste from the now-defunct UCIL factory were transported to Pithampur's industrial area, roughly 250 km from Bhopal and 30 km from Indore, for safe disposal at a designated facility.
The 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, caused by the leakage of the deadly chemical methyl isocyanate (MIC) from the Union Carbide plant on the night of December 2-3, resulted in the deaths of 5,479 people and left more than five lakh individuals with severe health complications. The disaster remains one of the worst industrial catastrophes in history.
