New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh government today
expressed unhappiness over the assistance package finalised by
the Group of Ministers (GoM) for Bhopal gas disaster victims.
"Whatever we have asked, we got very little. We expressed
our anger and unhappiness at the meeting. As against our
demand of total assistance of Rs 5,000 crore for gas victims,
we have been given a package of Rs 1,332.75 crore which is
less," Madhya Pradesh Minister for Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief
and Rehabilitation Babulal Gaur told reporters here.
He said the state government is spending Rs 45 crore on
treatment of gas victims since 1999. "The Centre has approved
only Rs 33.55 crore which is insufficient."
Gaur said on the very first day of the meeting he had made
six demands including extradition of Union Carbide former
Chief Warren Anderson to India and filing of curative petition
against dilution of charges against the accused in the case.
When asked about former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Arjun Singh`s role in the escape of Anderson, he said, "Not
only Arjun Singh helped him leave the country, but the then
Central government too."
Briefing about the meeting, Gaur said, "We have asked the
Centre to destroy the toxic waste lying in the Union carbide
factory in Bhopal and sought Centre`s help. The GoM agreed to
provide help in cleaning up the site."
PTI
