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The GoM report gave a clean chit to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi vis-a-vis the circumstances in which Anderson was allowed to leave the country after being arrested.
The report cited the absence of any records either in the Ministry of External Affairs or the Home Ministry which could indicate that the former PM was in the know of things. It, in fact, invoked “contemporary media reports” to suggest that Rajiv Gandhi came to know of Anderson’s exit only after he had left the country.
The total package — it is estimated to cost around Rs 1,500 crore — includes a proposal to raze the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal and construct a memorial in its place at a cost of Rs 100 crore, a separate Rs 300-crore remediation proposal to dispose toxic waste at the site, recharging ground water and soil and takeover of the Bhopal memorial hospital.
The remediation costs will be borne by the Centre, sources said, without prejudice to the ongoing case against Dow Chemicals in the Madhya Pradesh High Court where compensation has been sought for remediation purpose.
Global tenders for proper disposal of the waste are expected to be issued within the next six months, sources said. An oversight committee set up by the Centre will overlook remediation measures that will be implemented by the state government.
The recommendations of the GoM will be placed before the Union Cabinet on June 25, where they are expected to be formally approved.
The Cabinet will also consider another move to revisit the settlement of $470 million with the UCC — some members of the GoM felt it should be done, arguing that a curative petition or a review on this count was possible since the number of dead and injured was several times higher than what the Supreme Court had accounted for in 1989 when compensation was awarded.
A formal view of the Attorney General will be sought in the next few days on these issues. The GoM has recommended that the CBI should file the curative petition to get the charges against the other accused reinstated.
To provide succour to victims, the GoM recommended enhancement of monetary compensation to the next of kin of the deceased as well as the injured. The categories fixed are Rs 10 lakh for the dead, Rs 5 lakh for those with permanent disability and Rs 3 lakh for those with partial disability.
The GoM also suggested that new categories of patients, including those suffering from cancer and renal failure, be added to those entitled for cash compensation of Rs 3 lakh each. The enhanced compensation though will not be in addition to the already-paid compensation.
Other recommendations finalised by the nine-member panel included the takeover of the Bhopal Memorial Trust Hospital by the Centre, allotment of Rs 230 crore for its upgradation and those of five other hospitals, opening a centre of Indian Council of Medical Research in Bhopal.
The ICMR centre is to be opened within the next three months. To bring the Bhopal hospital under it, the Centre will take advantage of an earlier petition before the Supreme Court filed by the hospital and seeking the same. The Department of Biotechnology along with the Tata Memorial Hospital will manage the hospital.
The GoM also decided to recommend to the Centre that matter relating to Dow’s liability in the High Court at Jabalpur be pursued vigorously. Separately, a CBI inquiry was suggested to trace documents relating to transaction between UCC and Dow Chemicals, especially those relating to the Bhopal factory.
Some members of the GoM felt that Dow was adopting different standards while refusing to accept liability for Bhopal which it inherited from UCC, especially when it had accepted UCC liability in the asbestos case less than a year after acquiring UCC. Dow set aside $2.2 billion to take care of all asbestos-related liabilities arising out of the UCC acquisition.
On the subject of Anderson’s extradition, the GoM went by the advice of the Union Law Ministry which said that a fresh request for extradition be sent to the US government in light of the judgment of the Bhopal court. The Ministry said fresh evidence had surfaced in the judgment which indicated that Anderson was aware that the Bhopal plant had shortcomings in the area of maintenance before the accident. This was corroborated by witnesses who were questioned by the prosecution as well as by correspondence between the Bhopal plant and the UCC corporate office.
Moreover, the GoM agreed that Anderson continued to be an accused under Section 304-Part II (culpable homicide) as the 1996 judgment of the Supreme Court, which reduced the charge to criminal negligence, didn’t deal with the case against him.
Home Minister P Chidambaram, who heads the GoM, told reporters that they had made “significant recommendations” and their immediate focus was “to bring relief to those people who had suffered as a result of the ghastly tragedy”.
— With Raghvendra Rao in New Delhi.
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What else we can expect from the group of morons except her master's voice no one in this group has scruples if so they should have recomended a special SIT but this is only an eyewash for the public consumption at tax payer's expence.Now it is for the opposition and for the other NGOs to take it to the people about this dy nasty and defeat these guys in next elections. Jaihind
The GoM cannot be expected to comeout with a different finding because it consists of Cong men and their allies. Why not a JPC proble or SIT investigation ? Summon Arjun before SIT and ask him to depost. Will the "honest" PM do it ? Which Cong fool will agree that Rajiv was involved ? The whole exercise is a mockery of justice. If the Cong party is confident that its leader was not involved, let an outside probe take place for the truth to come out. The tax payers' money should not be touched until the accountability is fixed for a) letting off Anderson and b) Why was the curative petition not thought of immediately after dilution of sentence by Supreme Court ? Is this country so weak as to be subservient to US ? If yes, the Govt should quit and not squander public money for the proposed cause. This country is greater than any leader.
The GoM report gave a clean chit to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - this is the sole purpose of forming GoM in the first place which every Indian knew beforehand. Just throw away some money and everything will be forgotten seems to be their achievement. No 2. We will never embarrass Americans when Obama comes over to India ( We are excellent in extending hospitality to all foreigners) and everyone knows we won%u2019t be able to extradite even a beggar from America leave alone aging, ever elusive Anderson. We will shout about his extradition from roof tops until he passes away after living his time. This suits us. GoM is anything but a truth finding mission.
If only the morons in the powers to be could realise that instead of wasting 100 crore to build a memorial for the dead in place of the to be razed factory, that money should be added to the relief. Put a asthetic cement column in place of an extravagant memorial with a garden or park around with the words- " We the Government appologise for the loss of lives and the deaths and suffering that followed this tragedy" Can one imagine the commissions that will be paid out to hypocrites in building a 100 crore memorial. We never learn
There are only two purpose to form this GoM: 1) Give clean chit to Rajiv 2) Ask for more money from UCC/Dow to fill coffer of Congress party and congressmen and congresswomen And they are working in this direction.
Dear Sir, The GoM's report on the Bhopal gas tragedy, is on the expected line and totaly disappointing. Comparing to what Obma's adminstration claiming from BP the enhanced cash compensation, form the tax payer's money, is only a balm,not a cure that has come too late.Why the US MNC should not bear the cause of cleanisng.The report is onlr a cover up of the actions of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi's and the succsseice giovts.People resonsible for the Mr.Anderson's let off and subsequnt delibrate legal bunglings were also left untouched.This reports is the fore runner for the proposed nuke liability bill that will only tax the tax payers and not the culpable MNCs. N.Ramamurtht, A1 Alankar Apts, Old 12 New 25 Raman St, T.Nagar, Chennai
Another bofors like situation. No evidence, it is for sure the congress will definetly make PVN scapegoat as already happened. Even if evidence are available, it might have already disappeared. Long live the corrupt congress party & the slogan c-stands for corruption & congress. Congress is aware if trump card of Gandhi is named, then the party is like an ant inside the bottle. We people in India will never wake, even after 25-50 years smell of Bhopal, Kargil, Lottery scandel, telecom, stamp papper, railway/army recuitment etc. will remain, as it is in our blood. So long as we don't dump politicians, no question of any improvement in our country. Shame on our system.
Like every Indian citizen, I am thankful to Mr. Anderson & Co. as well as Mr. Chidambaram & Co. for providing me an opportunity to spend some money for helping the Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims. I am sure, like the previous petty relief packages, this also will go the "right hands". This innovative idea prompts me to request for opportunities to help Gurarat Riot Victims and 1984 Riot victims also so that people like Narendra Modi, Sajjan Kumar too could be declared "Holy Cows". And what about setting up a corpus fund for saving US companies from the impending nuclear disasters? That will boost India-US relations.
It is a shocking revealation that Rajiv Gandhi came to know about Anderson after he left the country. Is it not shame that Anderson like person travelling by State plane to Delhi and meeting President of India left India without any knowledge of P.M. Either this is a clever game plan to hoodwink the people or shows complete bankruptcy in administration.
I know that Dr. Manmohan Singh has an Oxford Ph.D and is an intelligent man. I tried working out the rationale for the Rs 10 lacks compensation regime and its fairness. Compensation for the victims of Bhopal gas disaster should be fair and their should be penalties assessed for injuries and mental agony that the survivers go through. In dollar terms, 10 lacks of compensation amounts to $22200 US dollars. An average 30 year oldengineer who died in the Bhopal Gas disaster would have earned Rs. 2000 per month at that time. That is about $200 per month on the then exchange rates. If the life expectancy of the person is 68 years, then $22200/38 would be the delivered compensation per year for the dead engineer. That amounts to $584 per year. It is roughly $48 per month. An engineer in Bhopal earning $200 per month at that time would only get $48 per month. This does not account for the dollar purchasing power loss and inflation. In 1983 weekly bread basket cost $20 and it is now $300.
What a tragedy our democracy fater 27 plus years of tragdey now they ahve decioded to give peanuts as compnesation. All those who did the damage have been left off. The late Mr. Rajiv though his name figured in Bofors, his role in Shah banu case, Opening Ayodhya gates, IPKF disaster to Sri Lanka, Bhopal gas Trgedy, he has been given a clean image suppose had it been some other NOn Congress leader he would have been haounded left and right by all. The GOM why they act they should tell see USA pay $ 3 billion has compnesation and $ 1 billion for cleaning the mess, else we will cancel all our relationships immdeiately. Mr. kamal nath if on retirement from politics if only Rs. 10 lakhs is given can you survive.
The cowardice and the cover-up match the Bofors cover-up by the Parliamentary committee. Long live Congress. Mera Bharat mahan.
So here it is!GOM ie Chalis Chors of Alibaba (of Soniaji)have done the most important job-of exonereating Rajivaji-of the Bhopal mess.They were told to approach the issue with an open mind, not foregetting an important principle that,no Gandhi family member can ever do any wrong hence no blame can be apportioned.Now these chors can wag their tails in front of the madam for their 'BAKSHIS'.Pets like Jayanti,Manish can now be unleashed on opposition, to bark.Abhishek of course can be at his best praising the family;till his saliva starts dripping.Finally Rahul Baba would be 'requested' to disburse the compansation to the kins of the victims.There can be nothing more joyous to the souls of the dead.Once this is done we can wait for another disaster.In the meantime Ministers also can get back to their "USUAL" task of getting richer Jai Bharat ,Jai Soniaji,Jai Rahulaji,Jai M'cmohanaji.
If notorious Rajiv Gandhi the PM of the day is not the one who direct the relese of Anderson then who gave the permission? Was there a second power centre or people act on their own wish or worse there is no authority at all? Did Rajiv Gandhi thought Bhopal incident is not important and does not warrent his attantion? What was he doing as PM of this country? Sleeping perhaps after the duet with Quattorochi and Anderson. Jai Rahul Gandhi. We want congress govt.