Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said a commission will be formed to look into all aspects of Bhopal Gas Tragedy to ensure that guilty were punished and victims get adequate compensation.
“The State government will form a commission to look into all aspects of the tragedy to ensure that the guilty are punished and victims get the adequate compensation”, Mr. Chouhan said in his reply to an adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA Arif Aqueel.
He said his government will ensure that the truth comes to the fore. The victims have not got justice even after 25 years of the tragedy, Mr. Chouhan said.
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Taking a swipe at then Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, the Chief Minister wondered why it had wounded up N. K. Singh’s Commission probing the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in a year.
Mr. Chouhan said since 1980, number of industrial accidents took place in the now defunct Union Carbide Factory but the then State government overlooked it.
Even the then State government told the Assembly that there was nothing amiss and the safety measures were in place in the factory.
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Mr. Chouhan told Assembly that when the toxic gas leaked from the Union Carbide Factory, not a single safety equipment worked.
Even the tank from which the gas leaked was packed beyond its prescribed capacity, he said.
Holding the then State Chief Minister responsible for the safe release of prime accused and former Union Carbide Corporation Chairman, Warren Anderson from Bhopal after his arrest, Mr. Chouhan said Arjun Singh should break his silence over the issue.
“Why was Anderson given a “royal send off” and was provided the State’s plane to fly to Delhi in December 1984 few days after the tragedy. The people wants to know about this issue,” the Chief Minister said.
“Mr. Singh should break his silence and name the person who asked him to release Anderson,” he added.
Mr. Chouhan said the State government wanted to declare remaining 20 wards as gas affected and demanded that people of all the 56 wards should be given compensation instead of only 36.
Mr. Chouhan said the State government has demanded through a petition in the Supreme Court that Dow Chemicals which currently owns the defunct factory should remove the toxic waste lying there.
All the people living around the defunct factory will be provided free water tap connections, he said.
He said efforts were underway to ensure that all gas affected victims get free treatment facility.
“The State government stands by the gas tragedy victims and will ensure that they will get justice at any cost,” he said.