Bhopal: An NGO working for the Bhopal Gas
disaster victims today asked Madhya Pradesh government to take
up the issue of inadequate compensation to affected families
during the Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on the tragedy.
In a letter to Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Minister
Babulal Gaur, the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan
(BGPMUS) said the compensation of USD 470 million, accepted
from Union Carbide in 1989, was "totally unjustified".
The compensation was taken for about 3,000 dead and
1.02 lakh injured, but it was actually distributed among
5,74,376 affected people, BGPMUS convener Abdul Jabbar said.
The amount was disbursed several years after receiving
it and the interest accrued was not distributed among the
victims, he said.
The enhanced compensation (Rs 1,500 crore) announced
three months ago by the Centre covered only 4 per cent of the
victims of the world`s worst industrial disaster, he stated.
Jabbar said the persons who got minimum compensation
of Rs 25,000 have been found to be suffering from very serious
health complications.
Therefore, they all should get enhanced compensation,
he said while requesting Gaur to take up the matter forcefully
with the GoM on the September 28 meeting.
He said BGPMUS had sent letters to Union Home Minister
P Chidambaram, who heads the GoM, seeking enhanced monetary
assistance for the gas victims.
PTI
