Union Carbide Waste Disposal: Madhya Pradesh High Court Defers Hearing To Feb 18

Bhopal/Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has deferred the hearing on a petition challenging the state govt’s decision to incinerate Union Carbide's hazardous waste in Pithampur. The matter will now be heard after six weeks on February 18. During the hearing, the government filed an affidavit and sought additional time to dispose of the waste, along with permission to unload the toxic material currently stored in containers.

On Monday, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain heard arguments from both sides before scheduling the next hearing. The petition was originally filed by the MGM Alumni Association, Indore, in the Indore bench of the High Court, but the case has since been transferred to the Jabalpur bench.

According to information, the government argued that storing the waste in containers is not a viable solution and requested directives to ensure the safe disposal of the hazardous material. The High Court granted the government permission to carefully unload the containers while adhering to prior guidelines and safety protocols.

Advocate Abhinav Dhanotkar, representing the petitioner, argued that the government took this unilateral decision without consulting the residents of Indore and Pithampur. He highlighted the potential risks posed by the hazardous waste, given that Pithampur is only 30 kilometers away from Indore. The 358 metric tons of toxic waste, if stored in Pithampur, could pose significant health risks to the populations of both cities.