Gas tragedy waste disposal: Police register five cases against protestors opposing incineration

Dhar: Madhya Pradesh police have registered five cases against protesters in Pithampur of Dhar district who opposed the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy in their town, an official said on Saturday.

Protests rocked Pithampur, around 50 km from the district headquarters, on Friday after toxic waste reached Ramky Enviro company, where the incineration is to be carried out.

The protests prompted the authorities to impose prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) banning the assembly of five or more persons around Ramky Enviro.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Manoj Kumar Singh said five separate cases were registered on Friday night in connection with the protests for disrupting public peace.

He said in some cases, people were named, while in others, first information reports (FIRs) were registered against unidentified persons.

Singh said normalcy prevailed in Pithampur town on Saturday morning, and all industrial establishments were functioning.

According to police, cases were registered at Pithampur Sector-1 police station under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 283 (the exhibition of false lights, marks, or buoys with the intent to mislead navigators), 341 (possession of counterfeit any seal, plate or other instruments with intent of forgery), 149 (collection of men, arms, or ammunition with the intention of waging war against the Government of India), 147 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 285 (causing danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way), 126 (2) (intentional obstruction of a person's movement), 190 (unlawful assembly) and 191 (rioting).

During the protests on Friday, a mob of 500-600 people marched to Ramky Group's Industrial Waste Management Private Limited premises, but the police dispersed them in time.

Two persons attempted self-immolation during demonstrations in several parts of the town amid a bandh call given by Pithampur Bachao Samiti. However, the quick response of the crowd prevented a tragedy, and the men were admitted to a local hospital.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav chaired a high-level meeting on Friday night to review the situation and decided to apprise the courts about the latest position on the issue and not proceed until further court orders in the matter.

He said the state government only transported the Union Carbide waste with safety parameters in compliance with the Supreme Court's instructions and the High Court's order.

The court had given a deadline for the waste to reach the designated place before January 4, he added.

Yadav took cognisance of the prevailing situation and said if any threat or sense of fear arises among the public about security, then the state government will try to present this subject before the court, and action will be taken only after this.