Union Carbide waste unloading starts in M.P.

• Waste containers from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal were unloaded from trucks to a waste management facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh.

• The move comes 40 years after a gas leak at the plant killed thousands.

• The unloading of containers was conducted in consultation with local representatives, reiterating that the incineration of the waste had not started.

• Nearly 358 tonnes of toxic chemical waste have been lying in 12 trucks at the Pithampur Industrial Waste Management Private Limited since January 2.

• The move prompted mass protests in Pithampur and nearby areas, forcing the government to seek six weeks from the High Court for consensus-building.

• The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 18, sparking the revival of protests in Pithampur.

• Pithampur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pramod Gurjar denied rumours that the burning process was starting and stated that the containers were being unloaded following all safety measures.