The organisations working for the welfare of Bhopal gas tragedy victims on Wednesday alleged that the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh regimes are careless vis-à-vis a petition submitted in the Supreme Court for seeking additional compensation from American companies.
The leaders of five such bodies told media here on Wednesday that a postcard campaign is commencing from today for urging speedy hearing of the plea. The postcards would be dispatched to the Apex court Registrar.
“More than half a decade elapsed since submission of the petition. Consequent delay in hearing is benefitting the foreign companies”, said Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sanghs Rashida Bi.
“It has been more than five years since the Government filed the curative petition and there has been no hearing yet,” alleged Rashida Bee of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh who was honoured by the President of India along with other women achievers award last month.
“It is indeed shameful that the Government has not moved a single petition for urgent hearing on additional compensation. Meanwhile, the disaster victims continue to die battling the economic hardship caused due to exposure related ill health and paltry compensation,” she added.
Balkrishna Namdeo, of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Nirashrit Pensionbhogi Sangharsh Morcha said that the Government’s neglect towards the legal rights of the Bhopal victims to adequate compensation is evident in its carelessness regarding the figures of injury and death. “Despite the Central Ministers’ promise made over an year ago, the figures of injury and death in the curative petition remain downplayed to a fraction of the actual damage”, he alleged.
According to Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action, the Government’s submissions arguing for 1.2 billion dollars additional compensation before the Supreme Court run to 474 pages. In contrast, Union Carbide and Dow Chemical’s arguments for holding the 470 million dollar settlement of 1989 to be full and final run to 3657 pages together. “It’s not just the number of pages, the quality of arguments and the presentation of facts too need much improvement, but most of all hearings on the curative must begin,” he said.