India Clears Toxic Waste 40 Years After Bhopal Gas Disaster

Photo: PTI 

Indian authorities have started removing Polluted water waste from Bhopal, more than 40 years after the deadly gas leak disaster. The waste, left behind from the 1984 tragedy, has been a cause of concern for many residents who have blamed groundwater pollution for high levels of sickness in the area.
The gas leak from the Union Carbide factory on December 2, 1984, killed about 3,500 people immediately, and it is estimated that up to 25,000 people died due to the long-term effects of the disaster. The highly poison gas, methyl isocyanate (MIC), was released when a storage tank ruptured. This event is known as one of the world’s deadliest industrial disasters.

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For decades, people living in Bhopal have been suffering from various health issues, including cancer, birth defects, and disorders. They believe that the groundwater contaminated by the chemicals from the disaster is the main cause of these health problems. Groundwater testing has shown dangerous levels of chemicals, some 50 times higher than what is considered safe.

The Indian government has been under pressure to take action, and finally, after years of delay, the authorities began clearing the waste in December 2024. The state high court in Madhya Pradesh ordered the cleanup and set a deadline of one month. The decision came after the 40th anniversary of the disaster.

A convoy of trucks, carrying 337 tonnes of toxic waste sealed in containers, was escorted by police for safety as it made its way to a disposal site 225 kilometres away in Pithampur. The waste will undergo "scientific disposal" through incineration, a process that safely destroys hazardous materials. This operation is being carried out with the highest level of security.

Swatantra Kumar Singh, the director of the state gas relief and recovery department, said that this cleanup has been carefully planned and is one of the most secure movements of industrial waste ever seen in the country.

The leaked gas not only caused early deaths but it left a long-term effect on Bhopal's people, with many still facing health problems due to the chemicals in the environment. The move to clear the waste is an important step in addressing the disaster's long-term effects and ensuring the safety of future generations in the city.

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