Supreme Court lists for urgent hearing plea against first ‘trial run’ of Bhopal gas tragedy waste

Supreme Court to urgently hear petition challenging transportation of hazardous waste from Bhopal gas tragedy site to Pithampur.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 25, 2025) agreed to urgently hear petitioners challenging the transportation and dumping of hazardous chemical waste from the Bhopal gas tragedy site at Pithampur on Thursday (February 27, 2025) as the first case.

A Bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai took the decision to hear the case without delay after petitioners made an urgent oral mentioning that a “trial run” of 10 metric tonnes of waste was going to be made on February 27.

Justice Gavai addressed the State counsel of Madhya Pradesh that the court was not going to intervene unless the transportation and dumping of the waste was proved to be a hazard to the local population of Pithampur.

The Bench, including Justice A.G. Masih, made it clear that the onus was on the State government to convince the apex court that its action would not endanger the health and lives of the public.

“We will call the case on February 27. You (State of Madhya Pradesh) get experts to tell us that you have taken ample care and back it with proof,” Justice Gavai addressed the State government.

The oral mentioning was made after the Madhya Pradesh High Court on February 18 directed the State to conduct the first trial run to dispose of 10 metric tonne of Union Carbide’s waste material at Pithampur facility on February 27 by taking all protocols into consideration.

“Knowing we are seized of the issue, the High Court should have stayed its hands,” Justice Gavai remarked.