BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY VICTIMS SEEK MORE COMPENSATION

Stating that the Bhopal gas tragedy victims have not been paid adequate compensation even after 25 years of the world’s worst industrial disaster, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udhyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) on November 22 sought more compensation from the centre. “The Centre should step in and make available funds to adequately compensate the Bhopal gas tragedy victims,” BGPMUS convener Abdul Jabbar told reporters. He said only a flat amount of Rs 25,000 each was paid as compensation to the affected people which compared poorly with the compensation amount given in other tragedies. He pointed out that the victims of Uphar Cinema (Delhi) were given Rs 18 lakh each by way of compensation while the victims of World Trade Organisation (WTO) in US received Rs 24 crore each. According to an agreement of February 15, 1989 facilitated by the Supreme Court, Union Carbide Corporation, US provided a compensation of USD 470 million (Rs 715 crore) meant for 1,02,000 affected people and 3000 people who lost their lives in the toxic gas release from the Union Carbide Factory in the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. Then, the Supreme Court, he reminded, asked the Centre to provide additional funds to the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, if their number swelled which indeed went up later.