Four Decades After Bhopal Disaster, Toxic Waste Disposal Still Poses Cancer Risk
40 Years After Bhopal Tragedy, Toxic Waste Disposal Still Poses Cancer Threat
Survivors continue to suffer from the aftermath of the Bhopal gas leak.
Four decades have passed since the Bhopal gas tragedy, yet the hazardous waste left behind by the Union Carbide factory remains a dire issue. Approximately 350 metric tons of toxic waste are planned to be incinerated at the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility in Pithampur, Indore. This facility, however, has failed six previous tests for containing emissions, which pose a substantial cancer risk.
In 2011, a German company, GIZ, proposed to handle the waste disposal for Rs 22 crore. Today, the cost has escalated to Rs 126 crore—six times the earlier estimate.
The health implications are incalculable. The waste to be disposed of constitutes merely 5% of the total hazardous material. Experts warn that its incineration could release significant amounts of carcinogenic chemicals like organochlorine, dioxins, and furans, endangering human health and the environment. The incineration site in Pithampur is surrounded by several villages within a 2 km radius.
The World Health Organization has cautioned that incinerating waste at a faulty site could result in cancer.
"In the past, we protested against burning this waste. The then Chief Minister and Environment Minister assured us it wouldn’t happen here. Despite these assurances, the waste is now set to be incinerated in Pithampur, a process that will take six months. If this happens, we will protest," said Gautam Kothar, coordinator of the NGO Lok Maitri Sansthan.
The plan for waste disposal has been long delayed. In 2012, the Madhya Pradesh government opposed it in the Supreme Court. Former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur and then Environment Minister Jayant Malaiya had strongly opposed incineration in Pithampur, fearing contamination of the Yashwant Sagar Dam and Tarapura village.
No state was willing to take on the waste. In 2007, Gujarat refused despite financial incentives. In 2011, Maharashtra declined a proposal to incinerate the waste in Nagpur, and Andhra Pradesh also refused.
"After I became the minister, we took a budget from the Government of India for the waste. We are making efforts with the centre, working with the cooperation of the central government. Tenders were issued for its execution even before I became the minister. Our expectation is that all the waste should be burnt within a year. There is a decision regarding burning of the waste, and we cannot do anything about it," said Kunwar Vijay Shah, Minister of Gas Relief and Rehabilitation.
The waste, lying for 40 years, has already contaminated soil and groundwater, posing a significant risk to future generations. Data reveals that from 2004 to 2018, toxic waste polluted groundwater in 42 settlements around the Union Carbide factory. In the last five years alone, contamination has spread to 29 more settlements.
Deaths, Survival, and Challenges
Official death tolls vary: the central government cites 5,295, Madhya Pradesh reports 15,342, and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates about 25,000 deaths. However, the real impact of the tragedy extends beyond these numbers.
Survivors live with ongoing health issues and inadequate support. The groundwater in Brij Vihar Colony, around 3 km from the factory, is severely polluted by the toxic waste. Arif Nagar, directly opposite the factory, continues to suffer. Many children are born with mental and physical disabilities, and families struggle to afford necessary medical treatment.
Contaminated water leaves white marks and crusts on buckets and coolers within weeks. Residents report increased cases of diabetes, heart attacks, and other severe health conditions.
From 2004 to 2018, toxic waste poisoned groundwater in 42 settlements around the factory. Despite a Supreme Court order to provide clean water, contamination has spread to 29 more settlements in the last five years.
"The hard water caused me to have a heart attack," said Bhagwati Prasad Pandey, a resident of Bhopal’s Brij Vihar Colony. "My family and the entire neighborhood are suffering. The municipal corporation was ordered to provide clean water, but they refused, citing it is a private colony."
Residents of Arif Nagar continue to face the disaster’s aftermath. Amina, a resident, shares her tragic story: "The water was so bad that many parts of the body were completely damaged. At the time of my child’s birth, the doctor had said either the child will survive or the mother. Three years later, we came to know that he can neither speak nor hear. We are from a poor family and face a lot of problems. Today, everyone in our house is sick because of the water."
Parents like Danu Singh and Aashiya bring their children and grandchildren suffering severe health issues. Most of these children cannot speak or hear and communicate through gestures.
"The water is so bad that the food is not digested, there is constant vomiting. Our child is also mentally very weak, his hands and legs do not move," Mr. Singh explains.
Aashiya adds, "Ever since my child was born, he has been mentally very weak. He had seizures in childhood. He is very weak. Sometimes, he has a fever, sometimes, he has stomach pain. The water caused so much trouble that the child’s liver was expelling water. His stomach had become as hard as stone."
In 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) offered to assess the toxic waste, but the government ignored the offer.
Kamla, a resident, says, "It has been 30 years, but even today I get itching and it does not go away for a long time."
Another resident, Batham, recounts, "We are facing troubles ever since the gas leak. Neither do we get proper water, nor are we able to live comfortably. Even after so many years, we have to take medicines. The water coming here is contaminated, it is causing many diseases."
"My whole family was there when this incident happened. We all started running as the gas level increased. We had to face many problems due to this gas. Even now there is pain, burning sensation in the eyes, blood pressure, and shortness of breath. Due to contamination of water, there was pain and burning sensation in the stomach. We have to collect water from different places. My grandson is six years old, but even today he has difficulty in walking, sitting, and speaking properly," shares Chandrama Devi, a resident.
Experts argue that Union Carbide and Dow Chemical should be held accountable under the Polluter Pays Principle for the disposal of this toxic waste. However, no action has been taken against these companies, which claim they are not subject to Indian courts.
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