With the state under fire for the slow pace of justice and inadequate clean-up after the gas leak, the world’s worst industrial accident, a panel of senior ministers has drawn up recommendations for fresh action.
The panel, whose advice will be discussed at a special cabinet meeting on Friday, has recommended renewing efforts to secure the extradition of the American former boss of the US chemical group at the centre of the case.
The disaster took place in December 1984 when the pesticide plant run by Union Carbide in the capital of Madhya Pradesh state spewed 40 tonnes of toxic gas into surrounding residential areas.
The gas killed thousands instantly and tens of thousands more from its lingering effects over the following years.
“India will make vigorous efforts to get (former Union Carbide CEO) Warren Anderson repatriated,” Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy told AFP after the panel finalised its work. The ministers also recommended the federal government help with the clean-up and that compensation for victims be doubled to Rs1 million Reddy said.
The Press Trust of India news agency said the panel suggested three billion rupees of federal funds should be set aside for the clean-up of the still-contaminated site where the old factory still stands. The ministerial group has also recommended setting up a federal medical research facility in Bhopal to monitor the health of survivors and their children, Reddy said.
Local media reports said the government would also explore the possibility of claiming more compensation from US multinational Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide after the disaster. “Our focus now is in bringing relief to the people who have suffered as a result of this ghastly tragedy,” the panel’s chairman, Home Minister P Chidambaram, said.
“There are still thousands of people who continue to suffer.
“We have dealt with all the issues: compensation, legal issues including the issue of pursuing the extradition of Warren Anderson and ... most importantly, remediation matters and health-related matters,” Chidambaram added.
Ex-chief executive Anderson was arrested in India after the accident, but then fled the country. Repeated extradition requests have been turned down by US authorities.
Indian government figures put the death toll from the accident at 3,500 within three days of the leak, but the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) puts the figure at between 8,000 and 10,000 in the same period. The ICMR has said that up to 1994, 25,000 people also died from the consequences of gas exposure.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2010.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ