THE sensitive issue of incineration of Union Carbide toxic waste at Pithampur in Dhar district continues to boil amidst violent protests and a late-but-timely safety stand adopted by the Madhya Pradesh Government to halt it till further legal clarity. Four decades after the heart-wrenching tragedy that saw thousands of deaths in Bhopal after gas leakage in Union Carbide India Limited, hundreds of tonnes of toxic waste is still lying in the factory premises. Out of the huge lot, the MP Government has dumped 337 tonnes of waste in the industrial region of Pithampur adhering to a High Court directive. Yet, fears of side-effects compounded by the dark memories of the December of 1984 are too overbearing for the people to accept this arrangement. Even as the issue assumed political tones after self-immolation bid by two people at Pithampur, the moot question remains -- is shifting the only way to deal with the toxic waste? The jury is still out. Chief Minister Mr. Mohan Yadav has taken great pains to explain the process and the research that has gone into the decision to incinerate the Union Carbide waste in a phased manner.

 

Many other leaders, who were witness to the massive tragedy 40 years ago, have weighed in the debate with their own takes, especially after the judiciary’s adverse remarks on the failure of the respective governments in the State to shift the waste. There has been scientific evidence of presence of elevated levels of toxic compounds in the soil, air, and water in the area. Medical studies, too, have found effects of toxins on health of people living in close proximity of the ill-fated Union Carbide plant. However, the disposal of the waste at Pithampur has also raised similar apprehensions of contamination of soil and water bodies. The picture is still hazy without any concrete scientific response on the disposal of toxic waste. In such a situation, keeping the waste at the same spot seems a pragmatic way out till there is absolute clarity on its after-effects. One aspect that can be explored by the scientific community is the changes the toxic industrial waste has effected over each decade at the accident spot. Some underground material has already been taken care of with deep burial but the overground material is still a matter of concern.

 

Whether it has the same potency to cause damage to human health and environment after the passage of four decades can still be ascertained with the scientific theory of deductive reasoning. If the effects are diminishing then a call can always be taken to formulate newer ways to insulate the population in close proximity rather than stoking new fears at a new destination. It is not an easy decision but with a collective will and support from all the stakeholders including the judiciary, a conclusion can be arrived at. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy was a horrifying chapter in the country’s history. All the dark memories come rushing to those affected and those who could watch helplessly as the poisonous gas pervaded into a large part of the city. Four decades later, going again through the same fear at a new place is unwarranted and uncalled for. If the stakeholders, government and the judiciary sit together to look at the problem with a wider view, then a status quo can be attained and the Union Carbide plant and its larger surrounding area can be turned into a memorial for the souls who died on that ill-fated December 1984 night.