Bhopal ministerial group to seek curative petition, Anderson's extradition

The GoM on Bhopal gas tragedy is understood to have today decided to recommend filing of a curative petition in the Supreme Court to fix criminal liability, seek extradition of former UCC CEO Warren Anderson and cleaning up the complex by burying the toxic waste.

Official sources said the curative petition will focus on criminal liability of the accused and seek more stringent charges as the apex court had diluted the IPC section under culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the accused to negligence on their part.

Headed by home minister P Chidambaram, the Group of Ministers, which met for the third consecutive day today, also
favoured approaching the United States to seek extradition of
former Union Carbide chief to face trial in India in the Bhopal gas disaster case. The tragedy, which occurred in the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, has left over 15,000 people dead and thousands maimed.

The GoM is also likely to recommend the burying of contaminated soil at the site itself in a scientific manner and the Madhya Pradesh government will carry out the task for which the Central government will provide financial and technical assistance, the sources said.

Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting that the GoM has covered all the subjects that were identified and is expected to submit its report to the prime minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.

"The minutes are being drawn up. Tomorrow, the GoM will
meet again to finalise the minutes -- finalise the recommendations and conclusions. I expect to send the report
to the prime minister tomorrow afternoon," he said.

Chidambaram said the fourth and final session of the GoM today discussed remediation and environmental issues. 

"Remediation of contaminated soil, contaminated water, the toxic waste that are at the site and the corroded plant, the corroded steel and other material," he said.

The sources said the GoM extensively discussed the issue of providing additional compensation to the victims as the relief given so far was inadequate.

The compensation should be based on health classification
like injuries suffered and the after effects of exposure to
poisonous chemicals including cancer, long term diseases,
disability and death of next of kin.