On Thursday, many people in Indore protested against a plan to burn 337 tonnes of waste from the old Union Carbide factory. This factory is known for causing one of the worst disasters in history back in 1984, when a dangerous gas leak led to thousands of deaths. The waste was recently moved near Indore, in a place called Pithampur, and residents are very worried about their health and the environment.
The protesters believe that burning this waste could harm people living near the industrial area, which has about 1,250 factories that provide jobs. Ramswaroop Mantri, who leads a farmers’ group, said, “We just want the waste to be kept away from Pithampur.” He and others are trying to make more people aware of the dangers through their protests.
Shyamsundar Yadav, president of the MP Indian National Trade Union Congress, raised an important question: if the waste isn’t poisonous, why can’t it be disposed of in Bhopal? He suggested it should be buried in a safe place like Pokhran in Rajasthan.
Protests had been very intense last week, with some people even trying to harm themselves in frustration, but the situation in Pithampur is calmer now. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has given the state six weeks to responsibly handle the waste, following safety rules.
In December 1984, a leak from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal caused a disaster that killed at least 5,479 people and left many others struggling with serious health problems.
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