New Delhi: The GoM on Bhopal gas tragedy is
understood to have on Sunday decided to recommend filing of a
curative petition in the Supreme Court to fix criminal
liability, seek extradition of former UCC CEO Warren Anderson
and cleaning up the complex by burying the toxic waste.
Official sources said the curative petition will focus on
criminal liability of the accused and seek more stringent
charges, as the apex court had diluted the IPC Section under
culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the accused
to negligence on their part.
Headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram, the Group of
Ministers, which met for the third consecutive day today, also
favoured approaching the United States to seek extradition of
former Union Carbide chief to face trial in India in the
Bhopal gas disaster case. The tragedy, which occurred on the
intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, has left over 15,000
people dead and thousands maimed.
The GoM is also likely to recommend the burying of
contaminated soil at the site itself in a scientific manner
and the Madhya Pradesh government will carry out the task for
which the Central government will provide financial and
technical assistance, the sources said.
Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting that the GoM
has covered all the subjects that were identified and is
expected to submit its report to Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh tomorrow.
"The minutes are being drawn up. Tomorrow, the GoM will
meet again to finalise the minutes -- finalise the
recommendations and conclusions. I expect to send the report
to the Prime Minister tomorrow afternoon," he said.
Chidambaram said the fourth and final session of the
GoM today discussed remediation and environmental issues.
"Remediation of contaminated soil, contaminated water,
the toxic waste that are at the site and the corroded plant,
the corroded steel and other material," he said.
The sources said the GoM extensively discussed the issue
of providing additional compensation to the victims as the
relief given so far was inadequate.
The compensation should be based on health classification
like injuries suffered and the aftereffects of exposure to
poisonous chemicals including cancer, long-term diseases,
disability and death of next of kin.
Members are understood to have discussed the need for
setting up a special task force to supervise and to ensure
cleaning of toxic waste from Union Carbide factory in Bhopal.
They felt that such a force should have members from
Ministries of Environment and Forest and Home besides Madhya
Pradesh government and NGOs working in Bhopal for
rehabilitation of the victims.
On the issue of Anderson`s extradition, some members
said that legal advice should be sought from MEA, Law Ministry
and CBI.
PTI
