Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) has submitted a new report to the High Court regarding the disposal of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory recently.
The report contains significant information concerning the presence of heavy metals like mercury in the ash remaining after the incineration of the waste.
A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice BP Sharma took the report on record and scheduled the next hearing for Nov 27.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) filed intervention petitions raising serious alarms that the ash contains high concentrations of mercury.
As per HC order, in 2004, Alok Pratap Singh had filed a petition in the High Court seeking the disposal of toxic waste from Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). Following the petitioner's death, the High Court continued to hear the matter as a suo motu (court-initiated) case.
Subsequently, acting on a court order, the toxic waste from the Union Carbide premises was disposed of at Pithampur in Dhar district.
Approximately 337 to 350 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the defunct Bhopal plant were transported to the Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Pithampur (Dhar district) and burned, generating about 900 metric tonnes of residual ash.
Pithampur Bachao Samiti and Bhopal groups raised concerns over high levels of mercury in the 900 MT of toxic ash/residue landfilled at the Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Pithampur.
