Protests against the disposal of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory continued in Pithampur for the third consecutive day Saturday when locals reportedly pelted stones at the Ramky Enviro Industries plant where the incinerator is located.
The police intervened and dispersed the crowd from the factory premises.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pramod Kumar Gurjar clarified that the stone-pelting was triggered by rumors.
“There was a false claim that containers from Bhopal were being opened and waste was being unloaded here, and that a worker was injured during the process. However, this is untrue. I personally inspected all containers, and none were opened,” he said.
The SDM added that the situation was “under control”.
“Prohibitory orders have been imposed within 100 metres of the factory premises, and violators will face strict action,” he warned. He also assured that the area remains peaceful.
Meanwhile, the police have registered three cases related to Friday’s protests, where demonstrators blocked key intersections, including Bardari Square, Sawariya Temple, and Azad Square. FIRs were lodged against unidentified individuals under sections of rioting, police said.
The two individuals who attempted self-immolation in protest against the incineration of toxic waste are reported to be in stable condition. According to health officials in Indore, Rajkumar Raghuvanshi and Raju Patle are “recovering under the supervision of a specialized burn unit team.”
The state administration has intensified efforts to address public concerns.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said: “Respecting public sentiments, all circumstances and practical difficulties will be brought to the attention of the Honorable High Court”.
He further added: “The transportation of Union Carbide’s waste to Pithampur has been carried out in compliance with the orders of the honorable high court”.
Dhar district’s in-charge minister, Kailash Vijayvargiya, has been tasked with troubleshooting the issue which has been escalating with many protestors now claiming to sit on indefinite hunger strikes till their demands are not met. The government has also scrambled it’s senior most IAS officers to head to the protest site to cool down tempers.
After 40 years, the process of relocating the toxic waste from Bhopal’s Union Carbide factory began Wednesday night when 12 containers carrying 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste departed for Pithampur on January 1.
This came after the Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 3 set a four-week deadline for the authorities to dispose of the waste. On December 5, the high court had pulled up the state government over the lack of progress, observing that the authorities were “still in a state of inertia despite 40 years”.
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