Various NGOs here today charged the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government with being responsible for not extraditing former Union Carbide chairman, Warren Anderson.
The world's worst industrial disaster the Bhopal gas tragedy which claimed scores of lives will complete 25 years tomorrow even as the woes of gas victims still continue.
The incident took place when the lethal Methyl Iso Cyanate (MIC) Gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory that was producing pesticides here.
The case is still being fought at the chief judicial magistrate level and after that it may be challenged again in the Madhya Pradesh high court.
Meanwhile, various NGOs, fighting for the cause of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, here today charged the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government with being responsible for not extraditing former Union Carbide chairman, Warren Anderson.
They also charged that inadequate compensation to the gas affected persons were paid and non-disposal of toxic waste from the plant site even after 25 years continues. A number of events including photo exhibition related to the Bhopal gas tragedy, agitations, sit-in, poetry night, press briefings and felicitations programmes are being organised since last couple of days. Apart from these, an all-party religious prayer meeting in which Madhya Pradesh cief mnister is also expected to take part, that claimed 15,274 lives and affected 5,74,000 persons after leakage of MIC gas from Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant here on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984.
Various NGOs including Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) and Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA) came under an umbrella and alleged that huge toxic waste was still lying in the Union Carbide factory premises, spread over an area of 67 acres.
They also alleged that despite issuing several arrest warrants against the former Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson by local courts for gas tragedy charging him with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the CBI has not extradited him for trial in India.
The NGO leaders said that Anderson may be proclaimed offender in India but he is leading a luxurious life in a palatial home in Bridgehampton in Long Islands near New York.
Anderson, who never faced any court for Bhopal gas tragedy, had been released on bail on December 7, 1984 soon after his arrival in the city after the incident but since then he never ventured on Indian soil, they said.
"It is surprising that no one was punished for the Bhopal gas tragedy even after 25 years of the world's worst industrial disaster," the NGOs said. "We have lauched a campaign along with Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationary Karmchari Sangh (BGPMSKS) and Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangarsh Morcha (BGPMPSM) from November 28 to disprove the Madhya Pradesh government's claim that there was no toxic and hazardous waste there," BGIA Convener, Satinath Sarangi said.
He alleged that Union environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh and Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation minister Babulal Gaur were favouring Dow Chemicals which has taken over Union Carbide by saying that waste lying in the factory premises was not harmful.
The three NGOs would intensify protests against Dow Chemicals from tomorrow to press for the removal of waste from the factory and seek financial and medical help to the gas tragedy victims who are still suffering, Sarangi said.
Meanwhile, BGPMUS convenor, Abdul Jabbar alleged that the Bhopal gas tragedy victims have not been paid adequate compensation till now and asked the Centre to release fund immediately for this purpose.
He said that according to an agreement of February 15, 1989 facilitated by the supreme court, Union Carbide Corporation, US provided a compensation of $470 million (Rs715 crore) meant for 1,02,000 affected people and 3,000 persons who lost their lives in the toxic gas emission.
However, later the number of victims was increased more than five times — affected people 5,74,000 and deceased persons 15,274 — and Rs715 crore was distributed to a total of 5,79,274 persons instead of 1,05,000 victims as compensation, Jabbar said. Jabbar said a meagre flat amount of Rs25,000 each as compensation was given to the affected people while for death Rs1 lakh was provided between 1992 to 2004.
The NGOs also opposed government's proposed plan to build a Rs116 crore memorial for the gas victims and urged the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government instead of wasting funds in constructing it, this money should be used in other welfare activities for gas victims including health, rehabilitation and education.
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