Govt has weakened trade unionism: Centre of Indian Trade Unions

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) national secretary Dipankar Mukherjee today said that even after 25 years of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, lessons have not been learnt from the world's worst industrial disaster, and safety measures were still not in place in industrial units across the nation.

Safety norms are not observed by industries as the Centre has weakened trade unionism, he said.

"No lessons have been learnt from the toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide Factory in the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, which killed and maimed thousands of people," Mukherjee said, while on a visit here.

"The safety measures are not in place in the industrial units across the country as the Centre has weakened trade unionism," the Citu leader said.

Contractors and employers were running their business, without observing safety norms, he added indicating there was no one to check them in the absence of strong trade unions.

"With safety and security measures not in place, the fire incidents like the one in the depot of IOC in Jaipur recently are bound to occur," he observed.

Mukherjee said that the Centre had gone for an out-of-court settlement by accepting USD470 million as compensation at the cost of a large number of victims.