Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The matter pertaining to Union Carbide plant’s toxic waste came up for hearing before principal bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur on Wednesday. No order was passed after hearing. The next hearing will take place after two weeks.
About 350 metric tons of chemical waste of Union Carbide plant in Bhopal was completely burnt in Pithampur (Dhar district) on June 30, 2025. After burning, 900 MT of chemical ash was generated, which has to be scientifically disposed of.
The then HC Judge Justice Atul Sreedharan had directed state government to point out other safe sites after environmentalists raised the issue of pollution. On Wednesday, state government filed a petition for recall of that High Court order.
The state gas tragedy relief and rehabilitation department has filed an application for recall of October 8, 2025, order of Justice Sreedharan and Justice Pradeep Mittal, which had directed the state government to find alternative location to dispose of 900 metric tons of Union Carbide's toxic ash.
The matter was listed before the division bench of Justice Vivek Kumar Singh and Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari. Rachana Dhingra of Bhopal Group of Information and Action said, “The matter was not on High Court’s cause list till two days back.
It was taken all of a sudden and not all parties concerned were aware of this. Similarly, the matter was conveniently deleted from the list a day before its scheduled hearing on Nov 23. The state govt is so eager to help Union Carbide and Dow Chemical escape from its legal responsibility of cleaning the toxic waste and poisoning people of Pithampur that it will go to any extent.”
