Meanwhile, in Bhopal, nearly 230 km (143 miles) from Pithampur, activists say the disposal process is a distraction from much bigger problems.
Since the disaster, toxic material has lain in the preserved plant for decades, contaminating groundwater in surrounding areas.
According to a 2010 report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and the National Geophysical Research Institute, more than 1.1 million tons of contaminated soil remains at the Union Carbide plant site.
“The government is putting on a show by disposing of 337 metric tonnes while ignoring the much bigger problem in Bhopal,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, a leading environmentalist.
“The infestation has worsened over the years, but the government has done little to address it,” added Rachna Dhingra, another activist.
According to government estimates, 3,500 people died soon after the gas leak, and more than 15,000 died later. Activists claim that the death toll is much higher, with victims still suffering from the side effects of the poisoning.
“Given Pithampur’s history of pollution, residents’ fears are valid,” Mr. Jayaraman said.
Officials said they were only “disposing of waste in accordance with a court directive.”
But the reality of Bhopal has deepened mistrust among the residents of Pithampur, who are now ready to take to the streets again to oppose waste disposal.
Vegetable seller Shivnarayan Dasana said the problem goes beyond the waste itself.
“It’s about survival — ours and our children’s,” he said.
Follow BBC News India Instagram, external, youtube,, external Twitter, external and Facebook, external.
