The Bhopal gas tragedy killed about 20,000 and left a devastating effect on about 5.7 lakh people; the Rajya Sabha expressed concern over delay in compensation to victims.
The Bhopal gas tragedy that struck on this day 25 years ago, killing about 20,000 and leaving a devastating effect on about 5.7 lakh people, was recalled in Parliament today, with the Rajya Sabha expressing concern over the delay in compensation to the victims.
In the Lok Sabha, the speaker said the survivors of the gas tragedy are still suffering from the ill-effects of the gas that leaked from the Union Carbide Plant at Bhopal.
The Lok Sabha passed a resolution expressing solidarity with victims of the tragedy with speaker Meira Kumar saying, "Even after two-and-a-half decades, the pain and anguish of the survivors continue to torment us.
"It was on this day, 25 years ago that the country witnessed one of the most harrowing manmade tragedies, in which thousands of people lost their lives and many were blinded or otherwise physically disabled."
"Let us on this occasion express our solidarity with the victims of this terrible tragedy and reiterate our resolve to make it a better place for the coming generations," Kumar said.
In the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury lamented over the "criminal negligence" in payment of compensation to victims.
Yechury, who was supported by almost the entire House, said that toxic waste is still lying around the Union Carbide plant, affecting water and soil in five-sq-km area around the place.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, he described it as an "act of neglect towards environment cleaning".
The CPI(M) leader said adequate attention was not being paid towards the safety of workers, and expressed shock over the "criminal neglect" of the issue.
"As many as 127 workers lost their lives at 11 places in 10 sites in last one year. Not a single person has been punished," Yechury rued.
He also felt that the proposed amendment in the labour laws will make the workers more vulnerable.
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