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Meanwhile, in Bhopal, nearly 230km (143 miles) away from Pithampur, activists argue that the disposal process is a distraction from a bigger problem.
Since the disaster, toxic materials have been lying in mothballed factories for decades, contaminating groundwater in the surrounding area.
More than 1.1 million tons of contaminated soil remains at the Union Carbide plant site, according to a 2010 report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the National Geophysical Research Institute.
“The government is pointing out the dumping of 337 metric tonnes while ignoring the bigger problem in Bhopal,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, a leading environmentalist.
“The pollution has been bad for years, but the government has done little to tackle it,” added Rachna Dhingra, another activist.
Government estimates say 3,500 people died shortly after the gas leak, and more than 15,000 died later. Activists claim the toll is higher, with victims still suffering side effects from poisoning.
“Given Pithampur’s history of pollution, the residents’ fears are valid,” said Jayaraman.
Officials said they were only “dealing with waste as specified by court directives”.
But the reality of Bhopal has deepened mistrust among the people of Pithampur, who are now ready to take to the road again against dumping waste.
Vegetable seller Shivnarayan Dasana says the problem goes beyond the waste itself.
“It’s about safety – ours and our children’s,” he said.
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