Bhopal: Soon after the Bhopal gas disaster in December 1984, efforts were made to suppress research reports to dilute the magnitude of the incident, claims a doctor who was posted as a child specialist at a state-run hospital here when the tragedy occurred.
In his latest book, `25 years of Gas Tragedy and untold truth`, Dr NR Bhandari has said that the real problems of the gas victims were suppressed by bureaucrats to ensure that
victims did not get appropriate compensation.
"From Bhopal to New Delhi, research reports were submitted in a way to show that the magnitude of the disaster was not that high," said the retired doctor.
He said the then state Health Secretary Ishwar Das wanted to do things in his own way, when the Centre sent Rs one crore for the purchase of equipment.
Bhandari claimed he was removed from the project after he refused to sign a tender for equipments.
He said he then approached the then Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Sunderlal Patwa, following which the matter was raised in the House and the Opposition members staged a walkout.
"Because of the opposition pressure, the then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Moti Lal Vora decided to call in fresh tenders," Bhandari said.
PTI
