Indore, March 01 (HS): In compliance with the order passed by the High Court Jabalpur, trial disposal of Union Carbide Bhopal’s waste was started in the incinerator of Pithampur Industrial Waste Management Project Pvt. Ltd., Industrial Area Pithampur on 27 February 2025, which continued on Saturday. This toxic waste is being disposed of following the prescribed protocol. This information was given by Indore Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh.
Divisional Commissioner Singh said that Union Carbide’s waste was brought to Pithampur from Bhopal in 12 sealed containers, in which 05 types of wastes Sevin residue, Nasthol residue, reactor residue, semiprocessed pesticide and soil of the premises have been brought. For the trial run, one container of each of the five wastes was opened on 27 February in the presence of SDM Pithampur, Tehsildar Pithampur, Regional Director of Central Pollution Control Board Bhopal, Regional Officer of Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and other officials on behalf of the district administration and the waste has been kept in separate Hazardous Waste Storage Sheds. The total quantity of all the five wastes to be burnt together is 10 tonnes.
He informed that the incinerator was started on 27 February at 10 pm using diesel, which was run for about 12 to 14 hours without adding any waste, so that the temperature of the primary combustion chamber is 850 degrees centigrade and the temperature of the secondary combustion chamber is more than 1100 degrees centigrade. When the incinerator was run using diesel, about 500 to 600 liters/hour of diesel was consumed. On attainment of the prescribed temperature, burning of Union Corbide waste was started from 03.00 pm on 28 February. This waste is being fed at the rate of 135 kg/hour, in which 4.5 kg of waste is mixed with 4.5 kg of lime i.e. 09 kg bags are made and 30 bags are being put in the primary combustion chamber of the incinerator in one hour.
The systems installed for purification of flue gas generated from the operation of the incinerator, spray dryer, multi cyclon, dry scrubber, bag filter, wet scrubber are all operating effectively. Online continuous emission monitoring system is operated for continuous monitoring of emissions from the chimney, through which carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, total organic carbon are being checked. The results are being received on the servers of MP Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Control Board, whose results are being found to be within the prescribed quantity.
The temperature of the primary combustion chamber is being found to be between 800 to 900 degrees centigrade and the temperature of the secondary combustion chamber is being found to be between 1100 to 1200 degrees centigrade. The data of the online system is also being displayed on the display board located outside the incinerator premises. The incinerator is being operated following the prescribed protocol. Principal Secretary Environment Department Dr. Navneet Kothari, Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh, Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra, Member Secretary MP Pollution Control Board AA Mishra also observed the burning process.
Regional Officer of Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board Srinivas Dwivedi said that the process of burning 10 tonnes of chemical waste of Bhopal’s Union Carbide in Pithampur continues for the second day as well. By 3 pm on Saturday, 3240 kg of garbage has been burnt. In this process, equal quantity of lime i.e. 3240 kg was also mixed with the waste. 3.6 tonnes of lime, 1.8 tonnes of activated carbon and 24 kg of sulphur were used to clean the flue gas. About 21,000 litres of diesel has been used in this.
On the other hand, more than 500 police personnel are deployed near the plant. Markets are open as usual. The situation is normal in Tarpura village as well. Although people are terrified, no one is ready to speak openly. Pithampur Bachao Samiti president Hemant Hirole said that after taking legal advice, they will again present their case in Jabalpur High Court in the coming days. The legal battle will continue.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
