Bhopal, the capital city of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Wednesday night (Jan 1) finally got rid of 377 tons of hazardous waste left after the massive 1984 Gas Tragedy. The toxic waste was shifted through a 250-km-long corridor from the defunct Union Carbide factory to Pithampur for its disposal in 12 sealed trucks.

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According to Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department Director Swatantra Kumar Singh, "The 12 container trucks carrying the waste set off on a non-stop journey around 9 pm. A green corridor was created for the nearly-seven journey of the vehicles to the Pithampur industrial area in Dhar district." The official added that nearly 100 people worked in 30-minute shifts to pack and load the waste in containers.

State authorities reprimanded by state high court

The move came after several warnings from the judiciary and a breach of various deadlines. The Madhya Pradesh High Court on December 3 had slammed state authorities for still being in a "state of inertia" even after 40 years of the tragedy.

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The high court then set a four-week deadline and warned the government of contempt proceedings in case of non-compliance of its directive.

How long will it take to dispose of the waste?

News agency PTI quoted Singh as saying that if everything is found to be fine, the waste will be “incinerated within three months”. However, the full process might take nine months to complete.

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Also read: Four decades of horror after India's Bhopal gas disaster

The waste will be burnt first at the disposal unit in Pithampur. The residue will then be further examined to check if any harmful element is left. Singh said that the smoke from the incinerator will pass through special four-layer filters so that the surrounding air is not polluted.

Also read: India: 200 kg cocaine worth $238 million seized in Delhi, days after $667 million drug bust

There are rumors that authorities had first incinerated 10 tons of Union Carbide waste in Pithampur in 2015 but it contaminated soil, water and air in nearby areas. Earlier on Sunday (Dec 29), a large crowd from Pithampur had staged a protest against the disposal of Union Carbide waste in their city.

What is the Bhopal gas tragedy?

The Bhopal gas tragedy is considered India's first major industrial disaster, in which 30 tonnes of methyl isocyanate had leaked, turning the state capital city into a colossal gas chamber.  According to estimates, over 15,000 people are believed to have died in the tragedy whereas thousands were left with serious and long-lasting health issues.

(With inputs from agencies)