Bhopal: There was a gross violation of
safety norms in Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) factory at
Bhopal where toxic gas leak had killed thousands of workers
and maimed many, the CBI, prosecution in the case, said on Saturday.
There were defects in the plant design of Bhopal based
UCIL, and its maintenance was not proper, CBI counsel C Sahay
told the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Mohan P Tiwari,
during the final arguments of Bhopal Gas Tragedy case here.
He said that before the gas leak in 1984, which was the
world's worst industrial disaster, an employee of the UCIL had
died in 1981 while fixing a problem in one of its safety valve
and in 1982 also, some employees were injured in an accident
in the factory.
The CBI counsel said the UCIL started operation in 1980
but after initial profits, it incurred loss following which
the management had plans to dismantle it and set up its plant
outside India.
Sahay said the lethal Methyl Isocyanide gas was stored in
the tanks above its capacity in the UCIL.
He said the three safety devices installed at the factory
did not work when the leak occurred.
After taking on record the final argument, which
continued for most of the day, the CJM told the CBI to
continue its argument on Monday when the court assembles.
The court will hear the defence lawyer's final argument
from April 26.
On April 12, the CJM had asked the CBI to start its
final arguments and did not heed to its repeated demands for
adjournments.
But after hearing the CBI for the whole day on April 12,
it gave some time to the agency and asked it to resume
argument on April 17.
The toxic leak from the UCIL, (now defunct) killed
thousands and maimed large number of people on the intervening
night of December 2-3, 1984 in Bhopal.
Around 178 prosecution witnesses and eight in defence had
deposed in the court. The prosecution had submitted a total of
3,008 documents against eight accused officials of UCIL.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 22:21