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MP High Court Sets Deadline for Bhopal Toxic Site Cleanup Plan

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to submit a detailed plan for assessing and cleaning contaminated soil and groundwater at the former Union Carbide factory site by March 23. This follows a petition by an NGO representing Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims. The state's affidavit indicates plans for fresh studies with agencies like NEERI and NGRI, as suggested by a Supreme Court-appointed Oversight Committee. While 337 tonnes of toxic waste were incinerated in 2025, contamination at the factory site and nearby ponds remains a significant challenge.

Key Points: MP HC Directs State on Bhopal Factory Contamination Plan

  • Court directs state plan by March 23
  • Contamination persists at factory site & ponds
  • Toxic waste incinerated in 2025
  • Oversight Committee suggested fresh studies
  • Land to be used for memorial
3 min read

Madhya Pradesh HC asks govt to submit plan for contaminated soil and groundwater at Union Carbide factory site

Madhya Pradesh High Court orders state to submit detailed remediation plan for contaminated soil & groundwater at Union Carbide site by March 23.

"the state government submitted the action plan including identification and finalisation of an agency... to carry out the study - Krishna Kant Dube"

Bhopal, March 13

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the state government to submit a detailed plan for assessment and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater in and around the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal by March 23.

The direction by a bench of Justices Vivek Kumar Singh and Ajay Kumar Nirankari came as it heard the writ petition of an NGO working for the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, seeking remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater in the surroundings of the Union Carbide factory and detoxification and time-bound action.

Responding to the writ petition, the state government filed an affidavit, stating that the remediation plan, including the assessment of contaminated soil and groundwater and the tendering process for cleaning up the surroundings, was underway and requested some more time.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the bench fixed the matter for the next hearing on March 23.

Meanwhile, the affidavit, signed by Deputy Secretary, Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, Krishna Kant Dube, said that the department held a meeting on March 5 in compliance with the directions of the Oversight Committee/Task Force constituted by the Supreme Court in 2023.

"In the meeting presided by the Additional Chief Secretary, discussions were held on various issues such as assessment of remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater in and around the erstwhile UCIL premises, detoxification and decontamination of corroded plant and time-bound remediation," it said.

"As the Oversight Committee had suggested that the Madhya Pradesh government may undertake fresh studies with the assistance of NEERI and NGRI to quantify the soil and groundwater contamination, as well as the mercury spillage and the groundwater dumps. In this regard, the state government submitted the action plan including identification and finalisation of an agency/consortium of agencies to carry out the study," the affidavit further read.

It also mentioned that the state government has decided to utilise 87.74 acres of land (Union Carbide factory site) for various other purposes, including the establishment of a memorial, and an action plan will be prepared for this purpose.

The toxic waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory, weighing 337 tonnes, was shifted from Bhopal to the Pithampur Industrial site on January 1, 2025, and was completely incinerated at a private waste treatment facility by the end of June 2025.

The disposal of the toxic waste came more than 40 years after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy had occurred on December 2-3, 1984, causing the tragic death of more than 5,000 people. However, the contaminated soil at the site of the factory and three ponds located a few metres away (in the north direction of the factory site) still remains a challenge for the authorities.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
This is a critical environmental and public health issue. While the incineration of the stored waste is a step, the groundwater contamination is the bigger, long-term problem. I hope the studies by NEERI and NGRI are thorough and lead to genuine remediation, not just more reports.
V
Vikram M
They want to build a memorial on 87 acres? First, make the land safe for human activity! Priorities seem misplaced. The memorial should honor the victims by ensuring no one else suffers from the lingering poison. Clean up first, build later.
P
Priya S
It's heartbreaking to read. My father's family was from Bhopal. The tragedy never ended in 1984; it continues with birth defects and illnesses. The government's affidavit sounds like the usual "work in progress" excuse. We need accountability and visible action, not just meetings and plans.
R
Rohit P
Good move by the court. The state government has had enough time. "Requesting more time" is a classic tactic. The oversight committee was formed in 2023, and we are still talking about fresh studies? The people of Bhopal deserve justice, not endless bureaucracy.
K
Kavya N
This is a national shame. While I appreciate the court's direction, I have to offer a respectful criticism. The entire process lacks the urgency a disaster of this scale demands. It took over 40 years to dispose of the stored waste. How many more decades for the soil and water? We need a mission-mode approach.

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