Bhopal, Feb 28 The first round incineration of Union Carbide’s hazardous chemical waste, which was shifted from Bhopal to Pithampur industrial site, began on Friday, complying with directions from Madhya Pradesh High Court.
A team of senior officials from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPCB) reached Ramky factory and prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) for disposal of 10 tonnes of waste in the first phase.
The waste from five out of a total of 12 truck containers was unloaded under the supervision of the Dhar district collector and the officials from other responsible authorities, including CPCB and MPCB and incineration started.
Dhar district collector Priyank Mishra said the trial incineration of 10 out of around 337 tonnes of hazardous waste began on Friday, and the entire process will take around 72 hours to complete.
The incineration process is being monitored by a team of CPCB officials.
"Disposal of the waste of the union carbide factory is being done according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Central and State Pollution Control Boards after the order of the high court," Mishra added.
According to the state government, the hazardous waste includes soil from the premises of the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, reactor residues, Sevin (pesticide) residues, naphthol residues and "semi-processed" residues.
Indore Division Commissioner Deepak Singh, who visited the incineration plant, told media persons that the reports revealed that there is no presence of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas in this waste at present and it also does not contain any kind of radioactive particles.
Singh stated that the process of incineration of waste is also being broadcast live outside the waste disposal plant in Pithampur to avoid any misconception among people due to rumours.
He further stated that the ash, solid residue, water and gases emitted during different stages of the waste destruction process will also be disposed of properly.
Development comes a day after the Supreme Court gave a green signal for disposal of hazardous waste packed and loaded in 12 truck-containers at the Pithampur industrial site since January 2.
Disposal of hazardous chemical waste is being carried out under the supervision of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
On February 18, the high court ordered that the first test of 10 tonnes of waste should be conducted on February 27, following safety norms, and if there is no adverse effect, then the second test should be conducted on March 4 and the third test on March 10.
On the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.
At least 5,479 people were killed and thousands were crippled.
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