Group of ministers play to gallery on Bhopal but please few

In the midst of an outrage over the Bhopal gas tragedy, the group of ministers (GoM) on Bhopal has decided to play to the gallery by recommending a re-look at almost all aspects of the mishap. However, it remains silent on the crucial question of the escape of Union Carbide Corporation chief Warren Anderson in December 1984, within days of the disaster.

All Congress spokespersons had earlier asserted that the position regarding Anderson’s flight would be clarified by the GoM. But they seemed keen to dodge the question on Monday. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari maintained that any comment is possible only after the report of the GoM is made public.

“The matter was not before the GoM,” said another senior Congress leader. For four days, the meeting of the ministers was under intense public focus, specifically over the Anderson issue.

The GoM looked desperate to assuage hurt feelings in Bhopal but does not seem to have pleased many. It has recommended a compensation of Rs10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, Rs5 lakh for those with permanent disability, and Rs2 lakh for those with renal disease and cancer. As many as 30,000 persons would be covered under all these categories, and the total payout could be to the tune of Rs1,500 crore. However, there is no recommendation for the bulk of 5.58 lakh victims who are covered under the injured category.

It also proposes a government take-over of the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust and an action plan worth Rs982 crore. The GoM has recommended the toxic waste lying at the plant site should be cleaned-up by the state government with all technical and financial support from the central government. This would be done under the supervision of a joint task force headed by the Union minister for environment.    

The other members would be representatives from the central and state governments.

The legal matters would be jointly handled by the state and central governments and curative petitions regarding the ‘meagre’ civil and criminal liability would be filed. A five-member committee set up by the state government has also made this recommendation.

“The revised compensation package is simply peanuts. It does not provide anything for the bulk of the victims of this tragedy,” said Babulal Gaur, Madhya Pradesh minister for Bhopal gas relief, at the end of the GoM meetings.

Union home minister P Chidambaram, who chaired the nine-member team, told reporters that a special cabinet meeting would be held on June 25 to consider the recommendations. He said that though the report of the GoM has been finalised, its work is not over and it shall meet as and when other issues come up.