Latest news with #SrinivasDwivedi
Mint
01-07-2025
- General
- Mint
Union Carbide's 337-ton waste finally incinerated, 40 years after Bhopal gas tragedy
The entire 337 tons of waste of the now-defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has been incinerated, officials said. The waste has been reduced to ashes at a disposal plant in the state's Pithampur town, they said on June 30 – six months after the toxic consignment was brought to the unit. 'The pollution board officials have informed us that all the waste has been disposed of as per protocol,' Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Director, Swatanta Kumar Singh, was quoted as saying in The Indian Express. The process of relocating the toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory began on January 1, about 40 years after the tragedy. While 30 tons of the waste was burnt earlier during three trials at the plant, the remaining 307 tons was incinerated between May 5 and the intervening night of June 29-30, the State Pollution Control Board official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The waste disposal at the plant in Dhar district's Pithampur industrial town was undertaken following the directives of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. This exercise initially faced protests from local residents who feared adverse impacts on the environment and their health. The highly poisonous methyl isocyanate gas (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, causing one of the biggest industrial disasters in the world. At least 5,479 persons were killed, and thousands were maimed. The process of burning 307 tons of the factory waste at the disposal plant operated by a private company in Pithampur began around 7.45 pm on May 5 and ended on the intervening night of June 29-30 at 1 am, State Pollution Control Board's regional officer Srinivas Dwivedi told PTI. It was incinerated at a maximum rate of 270 kg per hour under the supervision of technical experts of the Central Pollution Control Board and the State Pollution Control Board, following the High Court's directive issued on March 27, he said. "We have no information about any adverse effect on the health of people living in surrounding areas during the incineration of the waste," he said. According to Dwivedi, the ash and other residue left after burning the total 337 tons of waste were being safely packed in sacks and kept in a leak-proof storage shed of the plant. Special landfill cells were being constructed as per scientific process to bury the residue (waste leftovers) in the ground, and this work is expected to be completed by November, he said. "If everything goes well, these residue will also be disposed of by December. Before this, the residue will be treated scientifically so that their burial does not cause any harm to the environment," the official said. Later, in a press release, the State Pollution Control Board said about 19 tons of 'excess waste' found in the soil of the Union Carbide factory premises is being incinerated at the Pithampur plant, and this process will be completed by July 3. According to the release, 2.22 tons of waste from the packaging material, including all the waste from the Union Carbide factory was brought in January in vehicles, has been put separately, and it will be buried scientifically after treatment. The pollution board officials have informed us that all the waste has been disposed of as per protocol. The waste from the Union Carbide factory included soil from the premises of the closed unit, reactor residue, Sevin (pesticide) residue, naphthal residue and "semi-processed" residue. Scientific evidence shows that effect of Sevin and naphthal chemicals in this waste has already become "almost negligible". There was no presence of methyl isocyanate gas in the waste and it also did not contain any radioactive particles, as per the State Pollution Control Board. Key Takeaways The incineration of the Union Carbide waste is a pivotal step in addressing the aftermath of the Bhopal disaster. Community protests highlight the ongoing concerns regarding environmental safety and health risks associated with hazardous waste disposal. The completion of this process illustrates the importance of adhering to judicial directives and environmental protocols.
India Gazette
30-06-2025
- India Gazette
MP: Incineration of 337 tonnes Union Carbide waste concludes at Pithampur factory
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): The incineration of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy has been completed at a waste disposal factory in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district in the early hours of Monday. Four decades after the tragic incident of the 'Bhopal gas tragedy', a total of 337 metric tonnes of toxic waste materials from the Union Carbide factory site were shifted to Ramky company located in Pithampur for disposal on the night of January 1. But due to fear among the public and protests staged by them, incineration of the waste was not initiated. Following the directions of the court, the management of Union Carbide's hazardous waste started and finally incinerated. Regional Officer of Pollution Control Board Indore, Srinivas Dwivedi, told ANI, '337 tonnes of waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory was received for incineration and out of which 30 tonnes were incinerated as a trial run as per the instructions of Madhya Pradesh High Court between February 27 and March 12. After that, the High Court again instructed on March 27 to dispose of the remaining waste at the rate of 270 kg per hour. Following this, we began incineration of the waste from May 5, and it concluded in the early hours of June 30. The whole waste has been disposed of.' Speaking about the impact of incineration on the environment or causing pollution, he said that real-time monitoring was done, and everything was found within the limit. 'There is a monitoring system for pollution, and one can see through it. There are two things to observe: first, the source is examined, what is being burned, and secondly, the ambient air of the surrounding area is examined to see what its quality is. So, a real-time monitoring system was installed at the source of the chimney, which is monitored continuously, and its report is also available on the website, which is found within the limit,' he said. Additionally, manual monitoring was also done every week from the chimney and no such harmful element was found that has been the prescribed standards set by the Indian government for incinerators. It does not fall under the category of any damage, the Pollution Control Board officer said. 'The ambient air quality of nearby villages was also examined, and it was found to be within prescribed standards of the Indian government. A real-time online monitoring system was installed there as well, which is called CAAQMS (Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station). No complaint was received in relation to pollution,' he added. The officer also said that a separate secured landfill is being prepared for the residue of the Union Carbide waste post incineration. It is being prepared above the land and after depositing the residue, its capping will be done and a drainage system will also be built so that even rain water never gets infiltrated in it. He further highlighted that the landfill is being built above land as if any type of leakage occurs, it will be collected properly, no kind of pollution reaches to the ground or combines with groundwater. The Bhopal gas tragedy, considered the world's worst industrial disaster, occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984, when the deadly gas leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant, claiming thousands of lives. (ANI)
The Print
30-06-2025
- General
- The Print
Over 40 years after Bhopal gas tragedy, all 337 tons of Union Carbide waste burnt to ashes
The waste disposal at the plant in Dhar district's Pithampur industrial town was undertaken following directives of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, an exercise which initially faced protests from local residents who feared adverse impact on the environment and their health. While 30 tons of the waste was burnt earlier during three trials at the plant, the remaining 307 tons was incinerated between May 5 and the intervening night of June 29-30, the State Pollution Control Board official said, marking the end of a dark chapter in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. Indore, Jun 30 (PTI) The entire 337 tons of waste of the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal has been incinerated and reduced to ashes at a disposal plant in Madhya Pradesh's Pithampur town, an official said on Monday, six months after the toxic consignment was brought to the unit. The highly poisonous methyl isocyanate gas (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, causing one of the biggest industrial disasters in the world. At least 5,479 persons were killed and thousands were maimed. The process of burning 307 tons of the factory waste at the disposal plant operated by a private company in Pithampur began around 7.45 pm on May 5 and ended on the intervening night of June 29-30 at 1 am, State Pollution Control Board's regional officer Srinivas Dwivedi told PTI. It was incinerated at a maximum rate of 270 kg per hour under the supervision of technical experts of the Central Pollution Control Board and the State Pollution Control Board, following the High Court's directive issued on March 27, he said. During the waste disposal process, the emission of different gases and particles from the Pithampur plant was monitored on a real-time basis by an online mechanism and all emissions were found to be within standard limits, the official said. 'We have no information about any adverse effect on the health of people living in surrounding areas during the incineration of the waste,' he said. According to Dwivedi, the ash and other residue left after burning the total 337 tons of waste were being safely packed in sacks and kept in a leak-proof storage shed of the plant. Special landfill cells were being constructed as per scientific process to bury the residue (waste leftovers) in the ground, and this work is expected to be completed by November, he informed. 'If everything goes well, these residue will also be disposed of by December. Before this, the residue will be treated scientifically so that their burial does not cause any harm to the environment,' the official said. Later, in a press release, the State Pollution Control Board said about 19 tons of 'excess waste' found in the soil of the Union Carbide factory premises is being incinerated at the Pithampur plant and this process will be completed by July 3. According to the release, 2.22 tons of waste of the packaging material in which all the waste of the Union Carbide factory was brought in January in vehicles has been put separately and it will be buried scientifically after treatment. During the burning of the Union Carbide waste, the emissions of particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen fluoride and oxides of nitrogen as well as mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals from the Pithampur plant were found to be within standard limits, it said. The ambient air quality in villages around the plant — Tarapura, Chirakhan and Bajrangpura – also remained within prescribed standards during the incineration of the waste, it said. The waste was transported from Bhopal to the plant in Pithampur, about 250 km from the state capital, on January 2. Initially, 30 tons of waste was burnt at the plant during three trials. After this, citing the analysis report, the state government told the HC that during the trials conducted at the rates of 135 kg per hour, 180 kg per hour and 270 kg per hour, the emissions were found to be within prescribed limits. According to the state government, the waste from the Union Carbide factory included soil from the premises of the closed unit, reactor residue, Sevin (pesticide) residue, naphthal residue and 'semi-processed' residue. Scientific evidence shows that effect of Sevin and naphthal chemicals in this waste has already become 'almost negligible'. There was no presence of methyl isocyanate gas in the waste and it also did not contain any radioactive particles, as per the State Pollution Control Board. PTI HWP MAS GK RSY This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
All 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste incinerated at MP plant, says official
All 337 tonnes of hazardous waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal have been incinerated at a disposal facility in Pithampur, nearly six months after being transported there, according to a statement from the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, cited by news agency PTI on Monday. The toxic waste has been lying abandoned in the defunct Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) factory for the past 40 years. (File photo) The incineration, marking a major step in closing a tragic chapter of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, was carried out following an order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. According to regional officer Srinivas Dwivedi, the last phase of the burning process — covering 307 tonnes — began on May 5 and concluded on the night of June 29-30. 'The process of burning 307 tonnes of the factory waste at the disposal plant operated by a private company in Pithampur began around 7.45 pm on May 5 and ended on the intervening night of June 29-30 at 1 am,' he told PTI. Also Read | Toxic waste shifted from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory for disposal after 40 years Earlier, 30 tonnes of the waste were destroyed in three trial runs. In total, the entire 337 tonnes have now been burnt to ash. No info on impact on locals' health The disposal was done under the supervision of experts from both the Central and State Pollution Control Boards. Dwivedi said the waste was incinerated at a maximum rate of 270 kg per hour, with emissions monitored in real time through an online system. 'We have no information about any adverse effect on the health of people living in the surrounding areas during the incineration of the waste,' he added. Also Read | 337 MT toxic waste from Bhopal gas leak site to be shifted to Pithampur The waste included soil from the Union Carbide premises, reactor residue, and remnants of pesticides like Sevin and naphthol. However, the board clarified that the waste contained no trace of methyl isocyanate — the toxic gas that caused the disaster — and no radioactive material. The remaining ash and other byproducts are currently being stored in sealed, leak-proof bags inside the plant. Dwivedi said special landfill cells are being built to bury the residue using scientific methods. "If everything goes well, these residue will also be disposed of by December. Before this, the residue will be treated scientifically so that their burial does not cause any harm to the environment," he said. The toxic waste was brought to the Pithampur facility in Dhar district, about 250 km from Bhopal, on January 2. The 1984 gas tragedy — one of the world's worst industrial disasters — occurred when methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal on the night of December 2–3. The leak killed at least 5,479 people and left thousands injured or disabled. (With PTI inputs)
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Union Carbide waste disposal: Incineration starts at Pithampur plant
The incineration of 307 tonnes of waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal has begun in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district and is expected to be completed in 55 days, an official said on Tuesday (May 6, 2025). The incineration process began around 7.45 pm on Monday at a disposal plant run by a private company in Pithampur, about 250 km from Bhopal, State Pollution Control Board's regional officer Srinivas Dwivedi told PTI. He said as per the MP High Court's directive on March 27, the waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory is being burnt at the maximum rate of 270 kg per hour under the supervision of technical experts of the central and the state pollution control boards. "We estimate that the entire waste of Union Carbide will be burnt to ashes in the next 50 to 55 days," Mr. Dwivedi said. He said the emission of different gases and particles from the plant was being monitored through an online system. The emission of particulate matter, hydrogen chloride, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, total organic carbon, hydrogen fluoride and nitrogen oxide is being monitored through this system, he said. He added that the ambient air quality in the surrounding areas is also being checked. Mr. Dwivedi said, "In the final stage of burning the waste, mercury emissions are being monitored for the first time online by installing a new sensor in the Pithampur plant." All the emissions are within the standard limits, he said. He said that automatic machines were arranged to mix and weigh the waste in the prescribed quantity before putting it in the incinerator of this plant. After burning all the garbage, the remaining ash will be disposed of safely so that it does not harm the environment, the official said. As per the High Court's direction, the government has to present a status report on June 30 regarding waste disposal. On January 2 this year, 337 tonnes of waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal was transported to the Pithampur plant. A total of 30 tonnes of waste was incinerated at the plant in three tests. After this, the State Government told the High Court, citing the analysis report stating that during the three tests conducted at the rates of 135, 180 and 270 kg per hour respectively, the emissions were found to be within the prescribed standards. According to the State Government, the waste from the Union Carbide factory includes soil from the premises of this closed unit, reactor residue, Sevin (pesticide) residue, naphthal residue and "semi-processed" residue. The State Pollution Control Board has stated that according to scientific evidence, the effect of Sevin and naphthal chemicals in this waste has now become "almost negligible". According to the board, there is no existence of methyl isocyanate gas in this waste, and there are no radioactive particles of any kind. On the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. At least 5,479 people were killed, and thousands were crippled. It is counted among the biggest industrial disasters in the world.
