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Bhopal E-Waste Crisis: NGT Issues Notice
1 Sep
Summary
- NGT formed a committee due to unscientific e-waste disposal in Bhopal.
- Only 10% of Bhopal's e-waste is handled scientifically.
- E-waste dumping is harming mental development and causing kidney damage.
A high-level committee has been formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in response to allegations of unscientific e-waste disposal and burning in Bhopal. Notices have been issued to seven state government officials, including principal secretaries from environment, health, and electrical departments, demanding a reply within four weeks.
Environmental activist Nitin Saxena highlighted that a significant portion of Bhopal's e-waste is processed in approximately 250 unauthorized scrap units. This uncontrolled destruction, often through open burning, releases toxic metals like lead and mercury, leading to severe air, water, and soil pollution.
The situation is escalating, with Madhya Pradesh generating approximately 5,000 metric tonnes of e-waste annually, a substantial increase from 500 metric tonnes in 2019. This makes the state the ninth-largest producer of e-waste nationally, with significant impacts on public health, including potential kidney damage and adverse effects on children's mental development.
